May 19, 2024
The Feast of Pentecost
May 19, 2024
The Rev. R. Allan McCaslin
Readings: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 104: 25-35,37; Acts 2:1-21; John 15:26-27;16:4b-15
From the Acts of the Apostles, “All were amazed and perplexed saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’ But others sneered and said, ‘They are filled with new wine.’” I speak to you in the Name of God our Creator, risen Redeemer, and sustaining Sanctifier. Amen.
Happy Birthday everyone! Today, we observe the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost – the 50th Day after Easter. And the Day of Pentecost is often described as the birthday of the Church because it is the fulfillment of God’s promises of renewal and growth for all who call upon God’s name. And I find that this year’s celebration is made all the more meaningful and intriguing given that our parish is entering a time of discernment when listening intentionally to the direction of that Holy Spirit will be critical to our ongoing life together. To that end, I urge your prayers for not only your Vestry and Officers, but for one another so that we continue to grow in grace together.
The Feast of Pentecost commemorates the revelation of God in the person of the Holy Spirit who not only dwells within us and in our midst but, even more important, that same Spirit urges and outright dares us to dream and envision what new opportunities God may be calling us to embrace here in this community. Again, this day is so timely for us as we look to the future together.
Meditating on today’s scripture lessons, I found particular joy in this morning’s Psalm which says that when God touches the mountains, they smoke. And I have to admit that I believe this is the only place where I have experienced the wisps of fog and mist wafting upward. Wafting up like smoke rising from our valley and hillsides. And that affirms my belief that if there is any place on earth that has been touched by God’s own hand, it is this glorious valley. God’s presence is palpable here and especially in this church, within you, because God truly dwells in our midst. Here in this sacred place we can grasp what it means to be touched by God and to encounter the extraordinary every day. And so, when we read from the Acts of the Apostles with its description of the Holy Spirit descending upon men and women and doing a marvelous new thing – just like our Lord promised – we can understand how Peter was able to stand up in the midst of those who sneered thinking he was filled with “new wine” and proclaim with boldness that God is, indeed, forever active in this world and desires that all might not just believe, but experience the good news of God in Christ – the Good News of the Gospel - that God’s kingdom is at hand – a kingdom that radically changes lives from within. The Day of Pentecost reminds us that God dwells within the hearts, minds and lives of those who seek to know God.
Our Gospel lesson this morning sets the stage for this Day of Pentecost. Jesus tells his disciples that God will send forth his Holy Spirit to be both our Advocate – that is, our defender and guardian – and be our guide and lead us into all truth. This is the same Holy Spirit that wafted over creation as told in Genesis and breathed life into the nostrils of humankind. Jesus says this same Holy Spirit comes to teach us right from wrong, sin vs. righteousness, and will urge us to see things in a new light just like Jesus taught and showed us during his earthly ministry. And in my experience, the Holy Spirit often ruffles our feathers and disturbs our conscience until we face up to whatever is getting in the way of a deeper relationship with God in Christ, then pay attention to what the Spirit is saying, and act upon it. And when we act upon the Spirit’s nudging of our hearts and minds, then that same Spirit empowers and dares us to step out of where we are in this particular moment in time whether we are complacent or zealous in our faith, and dares us, encourages us, to embrace a renewed relationship with God and with each other as a people and community of faith in Christ.
These scripture lessons affirm the life-giving and renewing ministry of the Holy Spirit that should change how we think and live. And then there’s our Old Testament lesson. And I admit that this particular reading gave me pause because it tells the story of Ezekiel confronting a valley of lifeless, dry bones. A valley! Hmmm. In my prayers I wondered what is this about? If any parish is not full of dry bones, but rather, alive with gracious hospitality and welcome, as well as love and genuine care for each other and our neighbor it is this parish. So why do we have this scripture on this particular day?
Well, this text is filled with images that speak about our lives together right now and the promise of God’s active renewing presence that ever moves God’s people forward in mutual ministry. See, Ezekiel was a contemporary of the prophet Jeremiah and God called Ezekiel to prophetic ministry when the nation of Israel had fallen into decline and exile. It was a very dark time in Israel’s history. God tells Ezekiel to prophecy to lifeless, dry bones. And that seems odd to us if we don’t understand the role of prophets. See, Prophets are not responsible for being believed or followed. They are simply responsible for saying what God has told them to say. We are responsible for our response and actions. God says to Ezekiel, “You are a prophet, so prophecy even to dry bones.” Ezekiel does what God says and in obeying God’s voice and direction the unexpected happens: the bones are rejoined, and their bodies made whole again. This text affirms that God is forever speaking to us, to God’s people, even to the dead, and when we cooperate with what God is saying, then God’s new work begins.
These dry bones serve as a metaphor for Israel who believed herself to be dead. But I think this is an even more timely metaphor for us and for that matter, anyone who believes themselves to be dead spiritually. See, being willing to listen to and then act upon God’s words restores even the most broken of bones – the most broken among us whether that be broken relationships, broken hearts, broken spirits. Yet, our lesson goes even further: the rejoining of bones and flesh is not enough. It takes the breath of God to restore life into that which was lifeless. The breath of God: the Holy Spirit of God that breathed life into existence at the creation of the world in that Garden of Eden and empowered the Church on the Day of Pentecost can breathe new life into that which thinks itself dead! We need to remember that for every ending in scripture there is always a new beginning.
If we are willing to do what God teaches us and urges us to do – as led by the Holy Spirit – incredible things will happen here: things we thought impossible. That’s the kind of God we know. That is the promise of Ezekiel’s prophecy. That is the promise of God.
And so, on this Day of Pentecost – your birthday and mine – this day when the Church, when we, are encouraged to envision new ministry and possibilities, I invite you to join with me and your Vestry in discerning where our own dry bones, whether within us or around us, need God’s breath and renewing spirit. And invite that spirit to refresh and reinvigorate your soul, and then watch and celebrate together as God does the unexpected among you once more. You know, I can’t wait to see what unfolds here over this next year.
Oh, and as for those who might look at this parish and wonder what’s going on: Those who might sneer and think you’re filled with “new wine” – a polite way of suggesting you’re drunk and out of control; Well, like Peter, let your voices and our lives proclaim boldly the good news of the Gospel that has changed and continues to change our hearts and minds; the Good News of God in Christ that invites and welcomes all to come to this table, to this house of worship so that they, too, may encounter God who offers new life, new hope, and new faith in Jesus Christ in and by whose name, “all shall be saved.”
So my friends, Happy Birthday! And may the Holy Spirit’s celebration begin – begin within us all. Amen.