Vigil of Pentecost - Rom 8. 14-17, 22-27 Now (and) Venn the Diagram
Alleluia. Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
In our last adventure into proclamation we spoke of "Venn the Diagram?"
The Vigil of Pentecost brings us "Now, Venn the Diagram"
The apostles had the Holy Spirit set upon them, giving them "utterance" (per NRSV) in the languages of their world. According to the story of Jesus according to Dr Luke, they were waiting until the festival of Succoth, the Harvest festival in Jerusalem. If they expected the festival to bring God's Spirit it was hard to say, but that's when the Spirit struck with His signature sign, "the howling of a fierce wind." Each apostle was filled with this holy wind, evidenced - I suppose - with flames of fire "alighting" on their heads and holy breath was given voice to announce the good news of Jesus to an audience of pilgrims from every region of the Roman empire.
Ever since the lot fell on Matthias to complete the compliment of the Twelve (he replacing Judas Iscariot,) the apostle's waited in place until their release into the world with the Word. The mighty works of God proclaimed on Pentecost announcing the harvest of the kingdom of God and farmer Jesus the Nazarene " a man whose credentials God proved (to you) through miracles, wonders, and signs. And after He got your attention, you thought you'd have none of it and killed him, but God raised Him victorious over death. These events occasioned the arrival of God's Spirit to proclaim the word for ever and all over, a testimony to the end of all things and the world now under God's daylight time.
In my estimation, it's easy to lose the main point of the story of the Day of Pentecost. The wind the "tongues of fire", the speaking in the tongues of the nations, can be seen as ends in themselves. 21 centuries later it's easy to forget that the people of the story of Pentecost lived in a culture that wouldn't conceive of technologies of communication, nearly universal electrical power, and rapid transportation over long distances. That doesn't stop our age however from following the shiny lights and spectacle, and not seeing the larger picture and purpose of this day.
The Day of Pentecost completes Jesus' resurrection and ascension by the sending of the Holy Spirit, the person and power of God that lives in creation and in us. The Spirit establishes a different locus for Jesus from a living, breathing man from Nazareth some 2000 years ago, to the Logos/Son of God living and breathing in Jesus of Nazareth now living and breathing in us and through us. That's what the resurrection of Jesus Christ does.
If you think that Jesus rising is simply a test over thought process whether you can logically believe that there can be a death that can be overcome, you are selling resurrection short. As chapters 14 to 16 of the Gospel of John indicate, what the rising of Jesus makes possible in the gift of the Holy Spirit in us and through us to manifest Jesus' presence.
Resurrection as the ultimate expression of God's love makes possible faith's work in the world through the believer and the believing community. This might be about the time a Lutheran preacher might say that we have no interest in the Holy Spirit. On the contrary! If the Holy Spirit is not front and centre in Lutheran preaching and life, then neither is the Gospel! The Holy Spirit is the translator from Easter morning of Pentecost..
In the second reading this evening, we find the Holy Spirit at the centre. The Spirit enters us in Sacraments and preaching enter the believer's heart. These make us God's children, no longer need we fall back into fear, but are given membership in Christ's body. and we come to the diagram between the points of the world and the points of the church and in common between church and world is suffering - the suffering of international conflict, the suffering of racial conflict, the suffering of economic and heath, every conflict of humanity. This dips us not at all into the gifts of morality and mortality and ethcs. It is contrast of a spirit of fear - not enoughness, and shame, for example, and the sufficiency of forgiveness, acceptance, and unconditional love in the cross of Christ.
Only the Spirit grasps how the Gospel works in people. Only the Spirit sets us to life according to the word and will of God and effects the encounter of God in the world through those who believe. The Spirit s"ends for the word through the company of women who bear the tidings," says Psalm 68. The Spirit not only brings the world, it brings what we say in prayer. Both sides of address between self and God and God and self are set forth.
Without falsehood, honesty about our our human insufficiencies can be expressed, as well as praise and thanksgiving for all who have trusting through God's mercy and loving kindness in Christ. In the end, we're not charged with scouring our past to cleanse it. Rather, we live in anticipation of the future of the Spirit, who by faith brings us the futures that gather us up to new life in hope.
"We were saved in hope. If we hope for what we don't see, we wait for it in patience."
In our last adventure into proclamation we spoke of "Venn the Diagram?"
The Vigil of Pentecost brings us "Now, Venn the Diagram"
The apostles had the Holy Spirit set upon them, giving them "utterance" (per NRSV) in the languages of their world. According to the story of Jesus according to Dr Luke, they were waiting until the festival of Succoth, the Harvest festival in Jerusalem. If they expected the festival to bring God's Spirit it was hard to say, but that's when the Spirit struck with His signature sign, "the howling of a fierce wind." Each apostle was filled with this holy wind, evidenced - I suppose - with flames of fire "alighting" on their heads and holy breath was given voice to announce the good news of Jesus to an audience of pilgrims from every region of the Roman empire.
Ever since the lot fell on Matthias to complete the compliment of the Twelve (he replacing Judas Iscariot,) the apostle's waited in place until their release into the world with the Word. The mighty works of God proclaimed on Pentecost announcing the harvest of the kingdom of God and farmer Jesus the Nazarene " a man whose credentials God proved (to you) through miracles, wonders, and signs. And after He got your attention, you thought you'd have none of it and killed him, but God raised Him victorious over death. These events occasioned the arrival of God's Spirit to proclaim the word for ever and all over, a testimony to the end of all things and the world now under God's daylight time.
In my estimation, it's easy to lose the main point of the story of the Day of Pentecost. The wind the "tongues of fire", the speaking in the tongues of the nations, can be seen as ends in themselves. 21 centuries later it's easy to forget that the people of the story of Pentecost lived in a culture that wouldn't conceive of technologies of communication, nearly universal electrical power, and rapid transportation over long distances. That doesn't stop our age however from following the shiny lights and spectacle, and not seeing the larger picture and purpose of this day.
The Day of Pentecost completes Jesus' resurrection and ascension by the sending of the Holy Spirit, the person and power of God that lives in creation and in us. The Spirit establishes a different locus for Jesus from a living, breathing man from Nazareth some 2000 years ago, to the Logos/Son of God living and breathing in Jesus of Nazareth now living and breathing in us and through us. That's what the resurrection of Jesus Christ does.
If you think that Jesus rising is simply a test over thought process whether you can logically believe that there can be a death that can be overcome, you are selling resurrection short. As chapters 14 to 16 of the Gospel of John indicate, what the rising of Jesus makes possible in the gift of the Holy Spirit in us and through us to manifest Jesus' presence.
Resurrection as the ultimate expression of God's love makes possible faith's work in the world through the believer and the believing community. This might be about the time a Lutheran preacher might say that we have no interest in the Holy Spirit. On the contrary! If the Holy Spirit is not front and centre in Lutheran preaching and life, then neither is the Gospel! The Holy Spirit is the translator from Easter morning of Pentecost..
In the second reading this evening, we find the Holy Spirit at the centre. The Spirit enters us in Sacraments and preaching enter the believer's heart. These make us God's children, no longer need we fall back into fear, but are given membership in Christ's body. and we come to the diagram between the points of the world and the points of the church and in common between church and world is suffering - the suffering of international conflict, the suffering of racial conflict, the suffering of economic and heath, every conflict of humanity. This dips us not at all into the gifts of morality and mortality and ethcs. It is contrast of a spirit of fear - not enoughness, and shame, for example, and the sufficiency of forgiveness, acceptance, and unconditional love in the cross of Christ.
Only the Spirit grasps how the Gospel works in people. Only the Spirit sets us to life according to the word and will of God and effects the encounter of God in the world through those who believe. The Spirit s"ends for the word through the company of women who bear the tidings," says Psalm 68. The Spirit not only brings the world, it brings what we say in prayer. Both sides of address between self and God and God and self are set forth.
Without falsehood, honesty about our our human insufficiencies can be expressed, as well as praise and thanksgiving for all who have trusting through God's mercy and loving kindness in Christ. In the end, we're not charged with scouring our past to cleanse it. Rather, we live in anticipation of the future of the Spirit, who by faith brings us the futures that gather us up to new life in hope.
"We were saved in hope. If we hope for what we don't see, we wait for it in patience."
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