Pentecost
John 20:19-23; Acts 2:1-21; Numbers 11:24-30
My father used to whistle. It has been at least 30 years now since I spent any extended time around him so I'm not sure he does that any more. But he used to whistle softly almost under his breath when he thought he was working alone. Changing the oil in the car. working in his wood shop. Carrying feed to the animals. repairing some farm machinery. My father used to whistle the melodies of songs. they were never the same songs. It depended on what he was doing and how fast he was working. But I remember him whistling softly as he worked. I'm pretty sure he didn't know he was whistling. If you happened to hear him whistling and asked him what the tune was he was whistling he would usually look at you with a puzzled look on his face and say, "What tune?" He did not choose the song. It was as if the song had chosen him. The old Alley McBeal show had as a reoccurring theme the idea that everyone has his or her song. A certain song or melody that defines the rhythms of their life. the very way we walk or even sit and wait was envisioned as being defined by the sounds of "our song" playing in your subconscious if not your conscious mind. We've all had the experience of getting a song stuck in our heads. The worst is when I'm heading for a meeting downtown and I get in the elevator and suddenly I realize that the song that is playing in the background. The song that will probably be stuck in my head for the next three hours of my meeting. is some really ridiculous tune like the Rolling Stones "I can't get no satisfaction" or the Beach Boys "Good Vibrations". It is amazing how some songs choose to dwell so firmly in our barely subconscious minds. I recently sat through a meeting with the Chancellor of the Greek Orthodox Church, two arch-bishops of the Chicago Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, the President of the Chicago Council of Rabbis and the Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee where each time there was a break in the discussion I found myself mentally hearing Simon and Garfunkel's song "Mrs. Robinson". While difficult. This would not be so bad except that at one point I must have begun to hum to myself because the Orthodox Chancellor whispered to me "Is that something new in your liturgy?" I replied, "Not yet". He smiled and began to hum. something in Greek I think. To be so captured by a song or melody or even just a rhythm is to glimpse the world of the spirit as presented in our lessons for today. On this Pentecost Sunday. 50 days after Easter. we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples gathered in an upper room in Jerusalem. The images that fill our readings for this day are intended to fill our minds with pictures of the Spirit's breaking into the world. In rapid succession our lessons prepare us for our experience of the Spirit. The first lesson from the Hebrew Bible is a moment during the Exodus after Moses has led the people out of Egypt. Moses shares God's word with the elders of the people and the Spirit of God is passed to the elders and they begin to respond to that Spirit's presence by prophesying. Touched by the Word of God and filled with God's Spirit they could not be silent. the Spirit sang forth from them in prophetic words for the people. The power of the Spirit is even more boldly presented in the second lesson for today where we encounter the classic story of the birthday of the Christian church. It begins with the sound of a violent wind and a display of light that looked like tongues of fire resting on each of the gathered disciples. The Holy Spirit burned within them and they began to speak in the languages of the many people gathered in the streets of Jerusalem. The text provides a short United Nations listing of the ancient world. Parthians and Medes. Cappadocians, Phrygians, Pamphylians, Egyptians, Cretans, Romans and Arabs. All hearing God's word in their own language. It is one thing to get a tune stuck in your head but when the Spirit takes over things get really interesting. The proclamation is not just noise or an old familiar tune. But God's Word. And while some tried to dismiss it there were others who asked, "What doe this mean?" And that was the opening that Peter was looking for. A question in search of an answer that only God could provide. To that end we encounter the third of our readings. The Gospel text from John when Jesus appears to his disciples and breathes on them. Those of you who have come here often. Attended adult classes and forums. To those confirmed by us over the last 14 years. You know already where all these references to wind. Breath. And Spirit are taking us. For you know that the Hebrew word "ruach" and the Greek word "pneuma" can be translated equally often in the Bible as wind. Breath. Or spirit. From the very first verse of the book of Genesis we have witnessed this truth. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the "ruach" of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters". The "ruach". Spirit. Breath. Wind of the Lord moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, "Let there be light". The creative and life giving Spirit. Breath. Wind. Unpredictable and uncontrollable. The wind blows where it will. We do not see it but we know its passing by the rustling of the leaves and the feel of it on our face. The creative and life giving Spirit. Wind. Breath. Breathed into the first humans. And all humanity since. By God. Sustaining our lives to this day. Without breath we perish. In the Gospel of John we find the resurrected Jesus victorious over death breathing on the disciples. The breath of life. Not just the stuff of mouth to mouth resuscitation. Jesus "breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." This day is about more then wind or breath. Jesus gives his disciples the Holy Spirit. A power not only for life but also beyond. The forgiveness of sins. The gift of God's grace. The very mark of the kingdom. We are a community of faith marked by the gifts of the Spirit. We struggle with ways to give the Spirit expression in our lives. Struggle to claim the identifying marks of the Spirit. The story is told of a teacher who asked the young children of her grade school class to each bring something to show and tell that dealt with their family's religion. Samuel came forward and announced "I am Jewish and I brought a menorah. The 8 branched candlestick we use to celebrate Channakkah." Next was Susan who declared, "I am a Roman Catholic and I brought a crucifix which reminds me that Jesus died for my sins." Then it was Bobbie's turn. He carried a box to the front of the class and said, "I am a Lutheran and I brought some Brownies. Jello. And a hot dish" Looking at this week's church calendar it is easy to understand how Bobbie might think that food is the defining mark of our faith community. There are goodies today between services and the Confirmation dinner Tuesday night. Then we host the North Conference Lutheran Clergy and Bishop for lunch on Thursday and Friday is the Christian Education Appreciation Dinner followed by the Memorial Service for Ron Adkins on Saturday with luncheon following the service. But it is not the food that gives expression to the Spirit. Rather it is the Spirit gathering us in community that finds forms in the sharing of the food. Centuries ago it was found that the fellowship of the table gives a center to our faith. When we hear again this morning the words "Take and eat" we know that we have come to a special place. Where the Spirit dwells in, with and under the bread and the wine. Christ revealed once more to us. Breathing upon us the gift of life. The forgiveness of sins and the promise of life everlasting. It is in the fellowship of the table that we are reminded of the Spirit's call to community. Haydn McLean notes that "the Spirit came, not to John in his field, [or] Peter in his boat, [or] Zacchaeus at his tax stand. The Spirit came when the community of Jesus Christ was assembled together in one place. Through the scriptures we find that the Spirit of God descends upon the gathered community, not upon solitary individuals. After Pentecost, Acts tells us Jesus' followers "devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and the prayers" "And all who believed were together and had all things in common ...and day by day, attending the Temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they partook of food with glad and generous hearts." The Spirit is God's gift to the entire church, when the church is gathered in the name of Jesus Christ. A soldier does not make an army, an instrumentalist does not make an orchestra, a catcher does not make a baseball team, and there is no such thing as a 'private Christian.'" The "Spirit Rising" Appeal has been a witness to the way God's spirit moves in the community of faith. Together we as church discover so many more gifts and resources then we could possibly claim for our selves And that is the point of this day. We do not claim the Spirit. The Spirit claims us. Will Willimon reminds us that "Christianity is a 'revealed religion.' Which is a fancy way of saying that you don't 'get it', 'it gets you.'" That melody that is stuck in your head was not of your choosing. At least not consciously. So the Spirit's coming into your life. We can say "no". But we can't seem to cause the "yes". That is God's doing. An act of divine grace that we can accept or refuse but never cause. Which brings me to the best part of this sermon. The part where I tell you the truth about preaching. If you read the lessons closely you will notice that when the Spirit comes upon someone. Whether they are in the Old or New Testament one proof of the Spirit is the need to witness in someway to the Spirit's presence. It may be by prophesy or preaching. If that is the case the words come from the Spirit. There are also those who witness to the Spirit's presence by listening. Who listen and actually hear and respond because of the Spirit's presence. What this means is that the writing of a sermon is not my problem. And the hearing of the sermon is not your problem. Both are gifts. The Spirit is what makes the difference. Ordinary words. Familiar stories. Recited prayers and repetitions of liturgy take on meaning, purpose and direction in our lives because of the Spirit. The gift we received in baptism and nurture in the community at the table of faith. Today we celebrate Pentecost. The day of the Spirit. Today we begin a count down of days after Pentecost. A reminder that after this day the Spirit is with us whether we admit it or not. Stuck in our heads and our hearts. The divine song that fills our lives. Some asked, "What does this mean?" It means that our lives and our words are filled with witness to the Spirit's presence rising in, through and around us. My father used to whistle. I realize now that that was a gift. His very breath a reminder of the way the Spirit fills our lives with unforgettable moments of grace and blessing. My father used to whistle. And sometimes I do too.
Amen