What Will the Holy Spirit Do With us?

Acts 2:1-21; John 20:19-23

I sometimes wonder what it was like for Jesus’ first disciples as they dealt with the emotional ups and downs they went through from Good Friday to Easter to Ascension to Pentecost. It is different for us today; we know the whole story; we know it all works out. But, Jesus’ first disciples had to deal with everything as it happened; they had to live one day at a time. They had to deal with the devastation of Good Friday; they watched as Jesus was led out and crucified; and, they watched as his dead and lifeless body was laid in the tomb. For them, that day must have seemed like the end of the world. Jesus was dead and all of their dreams for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth must have died with him that day. It is difficult to imagine their despair as they watched Jesus hang on the cross.

It is just as difficult to imagine their excitement on the first Easter morning as they began to hear the news that Jesus had been raised from the dead. It is almost impossible to imagine their elation as Jesus came and stood among them; as they reached out and touched his risen body; as they saw his wounds and felt his tender touch. Nothing – absolutely nothing – could have prepared them for the shock of seeing Jesus as he walked with them on the road or as he greeted them on the seashore. Today, we celebrate the miracle of Easter; but, we can never really experience the shock and wonder they felt as Jesus showed himself to be alive.

The forty days after Easter must have been wonderful beyond belief. The disciples must have been filled with joy as they spent time with Jesus; but they must also have wondered what the future held. Yes, Jesus was alive, but he was no longer visible to the crowds; he had clearly not returned to continue “business as usual.” The Bible does not give us many details about what went on during those forty days. I am sure the disciples had many questions but I suspect Jesus’ answers did not completely satisfy their longing to know more. There may have been disappointed (or at least confused) when Jesus told them that it was not for them to know the time when the Father would restore the kingdom to Israel.

And then there came the day when Jesus was lifted into the clouds and taken from their view. That day must have filled them with wonder as they watched the miracle unfold before them; they were probably dizzy from all they had seen and heard since Good Friday. But, I believe the disciples were also unsure about what to do next. Yes, Jesus had assured them that there was much more to come; but, he had also told them to wait. After all they had experienced, these days of waiting must have been difficult to endure. Each day they must have awoken wondering what new surprises that day would bring.

So, every day Jesus’ small group of disciples gathered together. Every day they waited. Every day they praised God. And every day they prayed for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Then, suddenly wind and flames and voices shook the building and the Church burst into the world. Suddenly the Holy Spirit took over this small group of Jesus’ disciples and began to transform the world.

The story of Pentecost is the story of the Holy Spirit at work in the lives of Jesus’ followers. The story began when the Holy Spirit took a small group of about one hundred and twenty people (a group only about twice the number of people here today) and filled them with fire and with power. And, the story continues today as the Holy Spirit fills people and uses them to bring about God’s kingdom here on earth.

But, Pentecost is also the story of people – women and men, boys and girls just like us – who gave themselves to Christ and became part of God’s plan to transform and redeem all creation. Now, contrary to popular belief, the people who gathered on that first Pentecost were not superheroes. They were not super good; they were not super holy; they were not super religious. Some of them had denied Jesus. Some of them had doubted his resurrection. Some of them were headstrong. Some of them were stubborn. Some of them were enthusiastic about God’s mission. Some of them were afraid of what was in store for them. And some of them were impatient and wanted to get started as soon as possible. They were fathers and mothers; some were married and others were single. Some were natural leaders and others were natural followers. They had different ideas and different beliefs about God. And, they had different hopes and different dreams for the future. In short, they were people just like us. In fact, if we gave them modern clothes, you might walk past them on the street and never notice them.

So, if the people who gathered on the first Pentecost were just like us, then what made them special? I think one thing they did was they showed up – they gathered together in one place. Those present at the first Pentecost overcame a big problem that plagues the church today. They overcame the belief that we can be solitary Christians. Today, many people believe that Christianity is only about my personal relationship with Jesus. Too many people believe they can be a good Christian without joining with others in the church. True, our relationship with Christ is very important; but, Christians are called to join together with one another to be the Body of Christ visible in the world. The Body of Christ is not a collection of disconnected individuals just wandering around. The Body of Christ was created when the Holy Spirit fused those first 120 people together into one. And, today the Body of Christ is all believers united under our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Some people create all manner of excuses for avoiding the church; they say the Church is full of sinners just like the rest of the world and that may be true. But, guess what? The people who gathered on the first Pentecost were sinners just like us. The only difference is that they showed up and let the Holy Spirit make them into something better; they allowed the Holy Spirit to empower them to transform the world. They allowed the Holy Spirit to mold them into the Body of Christ. So, what made them special? Well, they showed up; they gathered together and they let the Holy Spirit take over.

Another special quality these first disciples had was trust; they trusted God to lead them into an unknowable future. The disciples knew, better than we know today, that being a follower of Jesus was risky business. They were eye-witnesses to Jesus’ crucifixion; and, they had to meet in secret for fear of the authorities. Jesus had warned them that some of them would be dragged before councils and beaten for his sake. They knew they could be killed just for proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. Yet, they gathered together and accepted the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Why did they come together when it would have been much safer to disperse? The only answer I know is that they trusted God more than they feared the authorities. They trusted the one who could protect their souls more than they feared the one who could harm their bodies. In short, they trusted God for their safety. But, more than safety, they trusted God for their future. They trusted God to give meaning to their lives. They trusted God to lead them to a future filled with joy. They knew the way ahead would not be easy; but they knew God could be trusted to bring them safely through every trial. They trusted Jesus to watch over them; and, they knew he would never abandon them. Their trust in God allowed them to gather together in spite of the dangers. Their trust in Christ allowed them to go and transform the world.

Those disciples who gathered together on the first Pentecost also allowed themselves to be used by the Holy Spirit to spread Jesus’ message to others. They used their own talents and the gifts of the Holy Spirit in new and creative ways to tell the story of Jesus Christ. They told the story in such a way that others could hear Jesus speaking in their own language. By the power of the Holy Spirit they carried the Gospel to people everywhere. We tend to focus on the many languages people heard on the first Pentecost but communication is more than words; it is deeds as well. Jesus disciples carried his message into new cultures and new social settings. And, in each one the Holy Spirit gave them the ability to communicate the Gospel through words and actions. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ disciples became interpreters of the Gospel.

We are basically the same as the people who gathered on the first Pentecost. So, here is the question. What would happen if we committed to gathering together regularly to praise God and pray that God’s will be done in this place? What would happen if we trusted God to give us what we need and to keep us safe? What would happen if we allowed the Holy Spirit to fill us with power and send us to spread the Good News? What would happen if we opened ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit and let God reign in our lives? Do you think anyone would notice? Do you think we would make a difference here is Frederick County? Do you think we would make a difference in the world? I do know that when a small group of Jesus’ disciples gathered and felt the wind of the Holy Spirit that they were filled with power and fire. I know they transformed the world. What about us? What will the Holy Spirit do with us?

Amen.

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