Riding on the Winds of Change ~ Acts 2:1-21 ~ Pentecost Sunday

Last Friday was a somewhat of a milestone for me…

My baby sister turned thirty.  My absolute earliest memory is the day she was born.  I was 2 ½.

One of her friends sent her a birthday card, listing funny memories a thirty-year-old would have; things like:

·        You remember when mullets were cool…

·        You begged your parents for a jean jacket…

·        You thought your Fisher Price record player was cutting edge technology…

·        You remember when the New Kids on the Block really were the new kids on the block…

Not long ago, one of my elder friends said something that wasn’t on her card, but that is certainly true:

“When you’re young, you can’t wait to get older.  When you get older, you wish you could be young again.”

This was certainly true for me.  I remember not all that long ago going to a restaurant and being absolutely insulted when the server gave me a children’s menu and a little box of crayons.  When you’re young, it’s not cool to be young. 

Life is all about change: and when you’re young, change often comes in the form of opportunity.  But as time passes, life brings us more and more changes that are NOT good.  Time becomes a thief; stealing what is precious and valuable to us. 

Jesus’ disciples would certainly have known this to be true.  In our second lesson from the book of Acts, Jesus had just ascended into heaven.  Jesus was no longer with them to lead them and guide them in spreading the Gospel.

But Jesus made a promise.  He says: “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.”

On this day, the Pentecost, they learn exactly what he was talking about.  All the apostles are gathered together in one place; then, all of the sudden, the Holy Spirit comes upon them as a violent, rushing wind.  They began to speak “in other languages” (or tongues).  The whole thing draws the attention of a large crowd—and everyone begins to hear the Word of God in their own language.  The end result is that people come to faith in Jesus Christ.  The church as we know it today is born.

What this all teaches us is that God’s Holy Spirit rides the winds of change in our lives—even when changes come that we would not call “good.”  So when time takes away something precious and valuable to us, we can count on the Holy Spirit to give birth to something new and powerful to draw us into Jesus Christ and the life he brings to the world.  And it goes without saying that we need the Spirit right now.

Consider the losses we’ve suffered as a church: think of all the people we’ve loved who’ve died or who’ve become homebound.  If you’ve been a part of the church for a long period of time, you can probably remember a time when every pew was filled and we didn’t have to worry about enough offerings coming in to keep the church going.  Think of the losses our community has suffered: the steel mills and factories and businesses that have closed down; the people who’ve had to move away.

It isn’t hard to lose our faith in God as change takes away that which brings us stability and purpose.  Will time and change render our faith and our church irrelevant and void?  Will fear and sorrow consume our faith?  Will secularism and unbelief completely rule our society?  Or, is Jesus still keeping the promise he made to his disciples?

Dear friends in Christ, the Pentecost is not a once-and-for-all occurrence to ruminate upon every year, seven weeks after Easter.

The Holy Spirit rides the winds of change, so that when the changes come, good or bad, we can be drawn more deeply into the life of Jesus Christ. 

God can be so hidden in times like the times we’re living in.  That’s why we must readjust our vision.  God is still giving us gifts and blessings to preserve us in faith.  Right here in this church is a community of love.  We generously share our time and our talents with one another; we pray for one another; we love one another.  And we can’t forget that Christ is present as we proclaim the Word together, and feast on his flesh and blood at the table.  The power of God is here and present for us to claim—because we have the Spirit.

And the passing of time continues to present us opportunities to reach out in love to a world in need.  As much as our clothing ministry has grown, there are still people who don’t even know about it…  Vacation Bible School is just a month away—and we have a whole town full of children who aren’t even baptized.  Generations of people we know are going through life, never really knowing a real sense of peace or purpose.  Are we going to sit idly by and become victims of change and the passing of time?  Or, are we going to claim the power being given to us?

In these changing times, in these trying times, ask yourselves: what gifts does God give you that help you through?  And then challenge yourselves with this question: what opportunities exist in your life to bear witness to the love of God?

The Spirit of the Lord is upon you.  There’s no question.  To know the Spirit’s presence; to know the Spirit’s leading, is simply to do this: come eat and drink of the Body of Christ today.  Be filled with God’s saving grace.

Take the time to pray and pray often.  Don’t rush through it.  Take time to listen; to be in silence; to ponder…  Study the Word; study it and ask questions and seek to understand it.  Believe what it teaches.  And finally, go…  Don’t sit around waiting for epiphany.  Go and use the gifts that God has given you and bear witness, and there you witness the Spirit’s power at work.

Dear Christians, it’s high time for another Pentecost.  And we don’t have to wait for it.  We simply respond to Jesus’ invitation. 

Don’t surrender your faith or your church to the ravages of time and change.  Surrender yourself to the Spirit of power and gentleness and peace—and never be the same again.