Not windy words, notice. But Wind and Words. Pentecost and Confirmation. That is what is on our table this Sunday feast day. Quite a menu, to say the least. And I intend to.
Say the least that is. See, I’m not preaching this week. Our Associate Pastor Chris is. And I’m glad. Mostly because he is a thoughtful preacher and it is good to hear him. But partly at least because I’m not always sure how to communicate this Pentecost thing in a way that helps folks understand. Not that I haven’t tried. I’ve done balloons and butterflies, I’ve done kites in the sanctuary, and long red streamers flowing across the whole congregation, I’ve done fans blowing confetti and long strands of red yarn connecting each member of the community. I’ve had fun, gotten some laughs and few gasps of awe (or offense), but I’ve never been sure that any of it really captured the experience of that first Pentecost.
Tongues as of fire and sound like the rush of a violent wind. And then those words. Lots of words. Different languages spoken or heard, I've never been quite sure how that worked exactly. Did those upcountry apostles suddenly learn a different language and speak it clearly and intelligibly, or was it the hearing of the passers-by who caught the meaning. Was it like the babel fish of Douglas Adams’ Hitchhiker Guide to the Galaxy, which lived in the ear of hearer translating any spoken language. Or like the Rosetta Stone software that makes anyway a polyglot with a little computer work?
Pentecost has been difficult to explain from the very beginning. The description of the event here in our reading for this week takes three verses, or even two depending on how you read it. And the explanation or the discussion of the effect takes the rest of the chapter. And in this year of long chunks of scripture, Chris took the whole chapter as the passage for this week. I’ll be interested to hear whether he reads it all in worship. But here it is:
Acts 2:1-47 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
5 Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. 7 Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and Arabs-- in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." 12 All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" 13 But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."
14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. 15 Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. 16 No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: 17 'In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. 18 Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. 20 The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. 21 Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.' 22 "You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know-- 23 this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. 24 But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power. 25 For David says concerning him, 'I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption. 28 You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.' 29 "Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, 'He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.' 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you both see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool."' 36 Therefore let the entire house of Israel know with certainty that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified."
37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him." 40 And he testified with many other arguments and exhorted them, saying, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
Whew. I’m exhausted just cutting and pasting all of that. Just kidding. But it is impressive. Especially that last bit where Luke tells us that “day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.” Something was working, something was moving. And whether the words explain it all adequately or not, seems beside the point.
Maybe we need to not worry so much about explaining. Maybe we need to just live the story. Just live out the evidence of the Spirit at work within us. Maybe we need to just go with the flow. Jesus told us that “the wind blows where it chooses, ... you don’t know where it comes from or where it goes.” Maybe we need to worry less about the words was say, and focus more on the experience we live, the story we are. Maybe folks joined up not because of answers but because of passion, because of relationship. Maybe they came because they knew that this was a safe place, a safe community to join while you were still in process. It wasn’t just for perfect people. You notice it says those who were being saved, not the saved. We are on a journey and we want - whether we admit it or not - companions. We want folks to walk with us. To accept us and to love us.
My hope is that whatever knowledge and understanding and explanations the confirmands who stand in front of us this weekend received, what they really found was a living hope, a family, a circle of friends who will help them walk wherever their journeys might take them in the days ahead. I hope they lean into the wind as they stand before the congregation. Even when they and we run out of words.
Happy Pentecost.
Shalom,
Derek
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