C Cycle – Feast of Pentecost 25

Rom.8:8-17

God through the prophet Isiah confirmed His plan for us by saying, “behold I am doing something new, now it will spring forth. Will you not be aware of it? A roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert ….to give drink to my people” (Is.43:19-20).  Then Jesus confirms this promise of God by telling us, “…from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water” (Jn.738).  Then the scriptures tell us that that the living water Jesus was speaking of is the Holy Spirit “… who will be given to us after He is glorified.” (Jn. 7:39).

We could have a history lesson recounting God’s unfolding of God’s plan for our redemption but we do not need a history lessons.  What we need is for us to become aware of God inviting us to tap into that spiritual water God desires us to drink.  What we need to understand is what the “promise of God” is and that Jesus said He would send that Spirit to us.  What we need is to understand is our need to thirst for that living water.  That without it we are wandering in the wilderness, baren, unable to flourish.

An encounter with the Holy Spirit was necessity to enhance a belief in God by the patriarchs, the prophets, the authors of the scriptures, Mary and Joseph, Jesus and the disciples.  It remains the yeast in the dough so that the we can become what we were created to become.  Without the Holy Spirit we are unleavened bread waiting for that yeast to be poured upon us.  Pentecost was and remains the fulfillment of the promise of God.  Without the Spirit we are lacking something. Like the woman at the well, we are seeking to satisfy a thirst that only Jesus can satisfy.  Without the Spirit the Eucharist remains bread and we remain unchanged until we ask “Jesus to give that life giving water to me”.  

The Holy Spirit was the wind that hovered over “…a vast and formless waste land” before it became the earth as we know it (Gen.1:2).  Ezekiel watched as that same wind swept over the dry bones as they came alive with muscles and flesh (EZ37:4).  That same Spirit swept through that upper room as a might wind and transformed the disciples.  That same Spirit, desires to sweep over this church today and desires to come to rest on each of you and free you from all that holds you back from worshipping in spirit and truth.  That same wind will set your heart on fire and you will understand God’s love, feel His forgiveness and His love poured into your heart.

That my brothers and sisters is God’s Promise as announced long ago by the prophets. For us to experience that promise in our lives we must embrace the truth of what Jesus’s death accomplished for us.  Accepting the fact that the penalty of our sins was placed upon Jesus as He died.  Jesus was and remains the sacrificial lamb given up for us.  That truth is a huge hurdle for us to comprehend because we have been taught wrong doing must be punished.

However, Jesus shows us what forgiveness looks like in the parable of the prodigal son. It is not what we deserve. It ignores our failure to live up to God’s standard of holiness. Instead of embracing that forgiveness, we allow our regrets and past sins to become a barrier preventing us from moving toward God. The prodigal son story is a parable, however the story of Saul of Tarsus was that parable in action.  We do not know how many “Christians” died because Saul, believed them to be blasphemers.  up to his encounter with Christ, his fundamental guiding principal was the law. he believed the laws were absolute and had to be followed precisely by those who sin.  

He did not understand how Jesus’s sacrifice could be the offering God would require for all sin to be forgiven. How do we appropriate that grace if we are unable to allow the grace of the Spirit to flow through us.  However, God knew we would never be able to change our core belief that sin must be punished. That is why the Resurrections, Ascension and Pentecost are one event in God’s plan to transform us from unbelievers into bold disciples who believe .   

God told us emphatically He would “…give (us) a new heart and put a new spirit within (us); and (He) will remove (our) heart of stone from (our) flesh and give(us) a heart of flesh. (God)I will put (His) Spirit within (us) and bring it about that (we) walk in (His) statutes, and follow (His) ordinances.  You will live in the land that I gave to your forefathers; so you will be My people, and I will be your God (EZ.36:26-28). 

This is God’s promise to us and it has been happening to those who seek it since that day in the upper room. Why have we not heard of our need for our Pentecost moment? Perhaps it is our reluctance to depart from a structured and visible sacrifices we believe pleases God.  We are reluctant to departure from what we have practiced. We are afraid to invite the Spirit to help us pray as Jesus prayed. To become free to raise our hands, pray without any prayer aids and to allow the scriptures to speak to our hearts.  Pentecost completely changed the disciples. They became bold, confident and were free to proclaimed Jesus as Lord.  They prayed for miracles and knew the Spirit was at work confirming everything they proclaimed with signs and wonders.  

What would happen today if we invited the Spirit to fill us? Will you dare ask God to give you that life giving water and allow it to wash over you?  Could it be we are more concerned with what others may think of us if we are changed by the Holy Spirit?  Could it be we are unwilling to give up control of our comfortable, predictable faith for a faith that is willing to do whatever God prompts us to do? Things like walking on water or praying for the blind to see or the deaf to hear.  Can we at a minimum believe that is exactly what God desires of us. To become water walkers who walk by faith not by sight.

Pentecost is an empowering moment in our spiritual life. It is an equipping moment, allowing us to move forward knowing God is with us.  Jesus said, “the Spirit would remind us of everything.” What a gift we have been given.  It is a shame if we fail to unwrap this gift of God.  Come Holy Spirit, Come with the fire of God’s love and we shall be recreated and renew the face of the earth.