Bible Text: Acts 2:1-21 | Preacher: Rev. Jenn Geddes | Devotional:
Many of you know that in 2017 Mike and I went to Wittenberg, Germany to participate in the celebrations of the 500 years since the reformation. We went during an annual celebration called Luther’s Hochzeit or wedding, a festival that celebrates Martin Luther’s wedding to Katarina Van Bora. As part of the festival, on the Sunday morning, the City Church, one of two churches associated with Luther’s ministry in this small village, performs a couple’s blessing. Midway through the worship service, anyone who is in a committed relationship is invited to come forward and receive a blessing from one of the elders. Now, as a none German speaker I sat through the service, recognizing most of the tunes to the hymns and at one point I figured out that the preacher was not actually the priest but the mayor but overall I didn’t really know what was going on. Thankfully, Mike does know some German was able to follow along so when it came time for the blessing I followed him up to the altar and we stood in front of an elderly woman who reached out and said something to us…I have no idea what she said but I think it was special because Mike squeezed my hand and looked lovingly into my eyes. So, I maybe didn’t understand the actual words but I got the gist of it. And the fact that this service took place a week after Pentecost was not lost on me. The Christian church is diverse, truth be told I have attended services in other denominations that were in English and I had trouble understanding what was going on. But then, I am also always amazed at how the Spirit speaks through the language barrier, or the cultural gap, or the different expressions and provides some enlightenment. For me, that is a big part of the lesson from Pentecost- unity in diversity.
A few years ago our Bible Study group focused on the book of Acts and a portion of the curriculum came from William Willimon’s Interpretation Commentary. I’m leaning heavily on this commentary this morning because it does an incredible job of explaining this fascinating and chaotic story.
While we have split the Easter, the Ascension and the Pentecost stories written by Luke it is likely that Luke intended for them to be read together because each story informs the other. “At Pentecost the power of God, made manifest at the resurrection and ascension of Christ, [which if you recall from last week, happened on the same day] is bestowed upon the People of God.” It is important for us to see how, throughout history and today, that power which has been bestowed upon the people has been used, sometimes abused, by the church.
Today we hear the story of the formation of the church. Yet, what impresses me with this formation, is that the community itself, the disciples do very little to make it happen. “The community, rather than taking matters into its own hands, getting organized and venturing forth with banners unfurled, has withdrawn to wait and to pray. The next move is up to God.” Just think of that, the apostles have witnessed some pretty incredible things but they have also been instructed to wait. But before we begin to think that they were sitting on their hands doing nothing as they wait, it is important to note that Acts 1 says that they were “constantly devoting themselves to prayer”. Never ever underestimate the power and work of prayer. Prayer can happen and does happen while we are waiting. It is not about doing nothing but actually doing one of the most important actions of our faith- praying.
It is into this time of prayer that Holy Spirit literally bursts in. They thought it would be just another day of waiting and praying and worshipping together and then there is an eruption of sounds and incredible sights. What is interesting is that we hear the Spirit before we see it. It is a sound like a rushing violent wind. This is the same wind that shows up in Genesis 1:2 that sweeps over the waters just as God is about to create something new and wild and good. Following the sound of wind comes something like tongues of fire which rests on the disciples. Again, perhaps this harkens back to the burning bush or as we discussed a few weeks ago how fire was used by the prophets to explain how faith is refined. Finally, added to this great eruption of sights and sounds is speech. As all the apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit they begin to speak in various languages. Think about that for a moment, the first gift that the Spirit gives is speech and not just words but the ability to communicate in various languages so that there is opportunity for everyone to understand. I feel that in some way this hits at one of those abuses of power that I alluded to earlier. Historically, instead of the church going into communities and learning the language of the community the church has often insisted that the people learn the language of the missionary. Yet here, in this story it is the apostles who speak the people’s language. The Spirit gives us the power to speak. We pick up once again on the commission Jesus gave at the ascension that they are to be witnesses, to speak to what they have heard, seen and experienced. Notice this unity in diversity. The Spirit is not speaking to a monoculture but speaks to the diversity of people.
However, the crowd, which comes from various corners of Luke’s known world, are in shock. In their own language they hear these Galilean disciples speaking of God’s deeds of power. While some are amazed, many are perplexed, while others explain it away as inebriation. Willimon says, “The in breaking of the Spirit is profoundly unsettling and deeply threatening to the crowd in the street, and so it must devise some explanation, some rationalization for such irrationality.” So the Spirit gives us the power to speak but that doesn’t always mean that those words will inspire the listener. I think instead of relating to the apostles, who have gathered once again for prayer while they wait, at this moment I relate best to the diverse crowd. We not only come from a multitude of backgrounds but we also represent a multitude of interpretations. Sometimes the Word of God inspires and fills me with awe. Sometimes the Word of God causes me to be filled with concern. Sometimes the Word of God seems so irrational that I try to rationalize it with nonsense. Sometimes I am more like the confused crowd then the enlightened apostles.
However, out of this confusion one of the apostles becomes a preacher. I think it is also important for us to remember that Peter wasn’t exactly the best orator of the group. Jesus was often chastising him for misunderstanding what Jesus was saying. “Yet here, before the half enquiring, half mocking crowd, Peter is the first, the very first to lift up his voice and proclaim openly the word that only a few weeks before he could not speak.”
I think that often the historical church relied too much on its own instinct and was not open to the Spirit’s guidance. I think the modern church struggles with that too. However, on Pentecost Sunday we are reminded that the Spirit helps us to get the gist of it. Helps us to experience God’s mercy even when we barely understand the language. Helps us celebrate the diversity of God’s people while also remaining unified in Christ. That is one powerful Spirit. Amen