[Propertalk] Fwd: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Pentecost- "Happy Holy Spirit Day"

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-------- Original message --------From: Judy <judy_boli at ecunet.org> Date: 6/3/17  8:12 PM  (GMT-05:00) To: Propertalk <propertalk.topic at ecunet.org> Subject: [propertalk.topic] Sermon for Pentecost- "Happy Holy Spirit Day" 


Dear
Friends,

 

This
Sunday’s sermon is entitled “Happy Holy Spirit Day” and deals with the Acts
lesson (Acts 2:1-11).  Here it is: 

 

Happy Pentecost
Sunday!  As you know, Pentecost is one of
the most misunderstood church holidays and also the last Sunday of Easter.  It’s the second most important church
holiday- just after Easter in importance, more important than ChristMass.  We just don’t think much about it because it
isn’t a huge money maker for the stores. 
It’s called the birthday of the church and the feast of the Holy
Spirit.  Let’s look at what happened and
what it means in our lives today.

 

This is what
happened.  The disciples were in the
Jerusalem upper room- probably the same upper room they had been using all
along to hide from the authorities, receive Holy Communion, and meet with their
risen Lord.  This time was different,
because Jesus had ascended, so he wasn’t going to make a resurrection
appearance.  The timing for what was
about to happen was perfect. It was the Jewish holiday that was almost like our
Thanksgiving- a combination harvest festival and glorious remembering of the
giving of the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai, so the streets were packed with
Jews from all over (we heard the list) speaking many languages.  All of a sudden, the Holy Spirit filled the
room.  Their mood changed.  They were “on fire” for the Lord.  They went from scared disciples-in-hiding to
charged-up apostles (witnesses- sent). 
They burst out of that room onto the street below- proclaiming Jesus as
Lord; telling people their sins were forgiven; and inviting people to learn
about Jesus and follow him.  There was
only one problem- do you know what it was? 
(Take answers.)  Most of the
pilgrims did not speak Aramaic, the language of the disciples.  If you were God, what would you do?  How could Jesus’ message be proclaimed to the
ends of the earth if the proclaimers only spoke one language?  Then an amazing miracle occurred.  Out of the disciples’ mouths came the
language of the people who were listening (so they could understand).  Many of the listeners joined the disciples in
their worship (Bible readings and Holy Communion), and the Church was born.  That’s what happened.

 

Now, what’s it to
us?  Good question!  Meditating on what the Bible teaches us about
Pentecost and the Holy Spirit, lets us check to see if we are growing in the
Holy Spirit.  You know, it wasn’t just in
the old days that the Holy Spirit was active. 
The Holy Spirit didn’t just fill those early Christians; the Holy Spirit
fills us today IF we let him.  The longer
we walk with Jesus and follow in his ways, the more the Holy Spirit will fill
our lives- again- IF we let him.  God doesn’t
force himself on anyone.  So-how do you
know if you are growing in the Holy Spirit? 
Here’s the wrong answer: you sway, you shout, you speak in tongues, you
fall out- NO!  All of these actions are
great, but they are not marks of the Holy Spirit.  They are simply signs of religious
excitement, often full of sincerity and devotion, but they do not show that
someone has the Holy Spirit.  Every
single religion has some people who do these things if that is how their
culture shows religious excitement- Moslems, Hindus, Jews, people who practice
witchcraft or voodoo, Satanists, and Christians.  They don’t show WHAT the person is excited
about- and it’s the WHAT that’s important. 
And how many of these same people- when they leave church or their place
of worship, turn right around and misuse other people.  These actions only show someone is
excited.  Remember the story I’ve used
many times of the family driving home from church?  As the mother looked out of the car window,
she exclaimed, “Just look!  How disgusting!  Not even two blocks away from church and
already lighting up a cigarette!”  The
next thing she heard was a childish voice from the back seat- you see, her son
had been listening to the sermon.  “Just
listen!” he mimicked.  “How
disgusting!  Not even two blocks away
from church and already talking about her neighbor!”  So how DO you know- how does the Bible say
you can tell if you have the Holy Spirit, or more important- how do you know if
you are growing in the Holy Spirit?  This
is how you can tell.  First of all,
you’ve got fewer of the behaviors listed in Galatians 5: 19-21a (“People’s
desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful
deeds.  They worship idols, practice
witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with.  People become jealous, angry, and
selfish.  They not only argue and cause
trouble, but they are envious.  They get
drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things.”)  Second, you’ve got fewer of those behaviors,
but you’re growing in the behaviors listed in Galatians 5: 22-23.  (See Pentecost banner: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.)

 

Pentecost has another
basic spiritual lesson for us.  Did you
notice- the disciples didn’t pick and choose- just telling people like them
about the church.  They told EVERYBODY
about Jesus and invited them to be part of the church. Jesus’ church is for
everyone - all races, all ages, male and female, fat and thin, college graduate
and people who never finished elementary school, rich and middle income and
poor- everyone.  The ground is level at
the foot of the cross, the ground should be level in every Bible-believing
church, and the ground most certainly is level here at St. Paul’s.  Our mission statement says it all: “St.
Paul’s Episcopal Church, an inclusive thinking person’s church where everybody
is somebody and Jesus Christ is Lord!”

 

I’m going to conclude
with a story.  You’ve heard this one
before, but I’m using it again because it fits so well.  A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best,
was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Sunday school. As
she ran she prayed, “Dear Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please
don't let me be late!” As she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb
and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her pretty dress. She got up,
brushed herself off, and started running again. As she ran she once again began
to pray, “Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!  But don't push me either.”  So my question to you is: what is God pushing
you to do?  What are you doing that makes
you your own worst enemy?  What changes
is the Holy Spirit inviting you to make- for your own sake and for the sake of
those whom you love and who love you? 
You heard the list of the self-destructive behaviors.  You can see the banner listing the fruits of
the Holy Spirit.  You know who you talk
to, invite to church, avoid, maybe talk about. 
Where do you fit in?  More
important, though, is not where you’ve been but where you’re going?  What life-affirming changes are you in
process of making this Pentecost 2017? 
May God bless us as we claim the power of His Spirit in our lives.  Amen.

 

 

For anyone who is interested, this sermon and updated
African-American wisdom statements are posted on our parish’s web site under “Sermons
& Stuff”. The address is: http://www.stpaulsepisag.org
.

 

Blessed
preaching,

Judy
Boli

St.
Paul's Episcopal Church

Saginaw,
Michigan





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