Readings for Pentecost: Acts 2:1-21 or Numbers 11:24-30 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 or Acts 2:1-21 John 20:19-23 or John 7:37-39
I know that Matt Redman based this lovely song on the previous Psalm to that set for today, nevertheless it expresses beautifully that sense of wanting to sing to God as long as I live:
A prayer:
O promised, pentecostal God of wind and fire and energy and love, you arrive unexpectedly amongst us to instigate prophecy, visions, and dreams. In our managing and manipulating world we attempt to make all things one by making all things the same. But you are one, and in your oneness you value and cultivate rich difference and amazing diversity. Help us to trust your love of variety and variability, and not to become bewildered or fearful of your unpredictable ways. Amen[1]
It was a transition time, a time when Moses and his leadership team moved the children of God from slavery to freedom. The story, as recounted in the book of Numbers revealed a people in a dark mood, grumbling and complaining; we would rather be back in Egypt (vv 4-7). The problem was that the negativity spread like a virus; Moses was cross and God’s anger was kindled – so much so that fire fell from heaven. (Of course, no one today would dream of speaking of the good old days and how everything was so much better then!)
And if the grumbling and complaining wasn’t enough, then Moses began to struggle with the burden of leadership. So, a leadership team is created to share the load.
Now it would be expected that God’s Spirit would descend on the whole team. But what they were not expecting was that the Spirt may choose to work in others as well. And the Spirit did exactly that; but then the Spirit will always move in ways uncontrollable and unfathomable to human minds. And well-intentioned people told tales and ask Moses to intervene. But Moses shared a word of wisdom:
Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets,
and that the Lord would put his spirit on them! (v 29)
At the time of Moses, the Spirit would come upon some people for specific tasks, at specific times. Now God declared a new age dawning through Joel, who spoke about the day of the Lord which would fulfil the prayer of Moses; but it did not come in Joel’s day either:
28 I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
29Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.
30I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. 31The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. 32Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved … Joel 2:28-32
It was a transition time, when the promised Holy Spirit was poured out; both a sign and a catalyst launching the mission of the church. And Peter caught hold of the moment, and preaching on Joel’s text, demonstrated the kind of commissioning the believers would receive: the commissioning of the prophet. That is to say, a person regarded as an inspired teacher or proclaimer of the will of God.
And according to Luke’s account in Acts 2, the Spirit blew through the place like a rushing wind. It seems that it was not in the Temple, nor in the synagogue, but in the house – a fairly large house, it seems, as 120 followers had gathered. It is the sound of the mighty wind that attracted attention, and people came running to see what was happening.
Pentecost is the feast of the spring harvest (Exodus 23:16, Leviticus 23:15-22, Deuteronomy 16:9-10), when the people of God were called to rejoice. Sons and daughters, slaves and free, and strangers and the disenfranchised were included in the celebration. So, when the Spirit came, tongues of fire rested on every head in the room, just as it had been promised in Joel.
From the time when Moses first met God in the wilderness (Exodus 3), to the day of Daniel’s vision of God’s chariot (7:9-10), the imagery of fire is a sign of the presence of God. John the Baptist gave testimony to one who would baptise by fire (John 1:24-28). In this extract by C.S.Lewis, it is an enlivening presence:
‘Look! Look at the lion.’
I expect you’ve seen someone put a lighted match to a bit of newspaper which is propped up in a grate against an unlit fire. And for a second nothing seems to have happened; and then you notice a tiny streak of flame creeping along the edge of the newspaper. It was like that now. For a second after Aslan had breathed upon him the stone lion looked just the same, then a tiny streak of gold began to run along his white marble back – then it spread – then the colour seemed to lick all over him as the flame licks all over the bit of paper – then, while his hindquarters were still obviously stone, the lion shook his mane and all the heavy, stone folds rippled into living hair. Then he opened a great red mouth, warm and living, and gave a prodigious yawn. And now his hind legs had come to life. He lifted one of them and scratched himself. Then, having caught sight of Aslan, he went bounding after him and frisking round him whimpering with delight and jumping up to lick his face.[1]
It is a transition time – Our transition moment when we seek God’s guidance during days of lock-down. In the strangest way possible, the current situation means we are not in temple or church, but at home. We have been forced to live with less distraction of consumerism, and more attention on the natural world. Maybe this time, will provide ways to contemplate our heritage as God’s children. For, like the disciples of old, the imprint of God’s Holy Spirit, bestowed at baptism, should still be a reminder of our calling as one’s who share good news. Where will this journey lead the people of God next?
Something to ponder:
The Spirit of God has been released into the world. Not contained but set free. Not limited but expanding. What else would we expect, if this Spirit of Life is the One through whom God raised Jesus? We are equipped to be who God wants us to be in this new world when the Spirit comes whooshing through the room. Pentecost is the day that makes the future of the church possible. Without Pentecost, we’d just be people who tell Jesus’ story. With Pentecost, we’re people who live into Jesus’ story.[1]
A prayer (words of a hymn by Brian Wren.[1])
1 Baptise us with your Spirit, majestic, humble Christ,
to overcome temptation; assailed, but not enticed.
Baptise us with your Spirit, that in each other's eyes
we may discern your purpose, and cast away disguise.
2 Baptise us with your Spirit to careful, patient, thought,
and habit-forming virtues aspired to, copied, taught,
till clothed with new creation, self-critical, reformed,
we demonstrate the gospel, to you alone conformed.
3 Baptise us with your Spirit in unrestricted ways
that move us, mind and body, to laugh and shout your praise.
Send us to clear the rubble of each defensive wall,
inviting to your table our neighbours, one and all.
[1] Graham Turner, Alternative Collects: prayers to a disruptive and compassionate God. (Durham: Sacristy Press, 2018)
[1] C.S. Lewis, The lion, the witch and the wardrobe.
[1] Daniel Shroyer quoted in One and Wildly Varied by Norman
http://ndsworshipmessages.blogspot.com/2014/06/one-and-wildly-varied.html [accessed 26.05.2020]
[1] Brian Wren (b. 1936) Reproduced from Singing the Faith Electronic Words Edition, number 369 Words: © 2005, Stainer & Bell Ltd, 23 Gruneisen Road, London N3 1DZ <www.stainer.co.uk>
Worship at home 