Messages, Meditations, and Musings on the Life of Faith by Rev. Dr. Scott E. Olson, Interim Pastor, Christ Lutheran Church, Preston, MN

Sunday, May 19, 2013

"Playing with Fire" - Sermon for Pentecost Sunday


Playing with Fire
Pentecost Sunday (Narrative Lectionary 3)
May 19, 2013
Acts 2.1-4; Galatians 4.1-7

We all have, I think, both a fascination and a fear of fire. There is almost a magnetic attraction to watching something burn and at the same time a reverential awe at its destructive power. We are told at a very young age that we must never play with fire. In a similar way, most of us have on our family tree someone who is a bit fruitier than the rest, a relative who invites a similar blend of fascination, apprehension, and unpredictability when they show up. I find these attitudes toward the Holy Spirit. Whereas God the Father is our safely distant grandfatherly type and God the Son is our friend and companion, God the Holy Spirit is unnerving to us as we are both fascinated and fearful by its presence.

Like fire and family, we have mixed feelings about the Holy Spirit. But there are also misunderstanding. We tend to think that the Spirit just appears at Pentecost when it lights a fire under those first followers of Jesus and sends them out to be a part of God’s mission to love and bless the world. Yet, it was the Spirit that was there as God’s Holy Wind moving over the waters of creation, bringing order out of chaos. It was the Spirit, God’s Holy Breath that was blowing life into the first humans. It was the Holy Spirit that spoke God’s word to the people through the prophets. It was the Holy Spirit who came upon the Virgin Mary, incarnating the Son of God. It was the Spirit that energized John the Baptist, announcing the coming of the Messiah. It was the Spirit that sent Jesus on God’s mission at his baptism. It’s the Holy Spirit who appears 40 times in the book of Acts guiding the early church as it lived out its calling. And we can argue that the Holy Spirit was moving in both the 16th century Protestant Reformation and 18th century Great Awakening.

That brings us to our second misconception about the Holy Spirit: we tend to equate power with spectacular, but the Holy Spirit often works in ways that are more like a slow, steady burn than a fiery inferno. It is through the presence of the Holy Spirit that we experience the risen Christ in our midst. As Paul says in Galatians chapter 4, we are only able to cry, “Abba! Father!” because of the Holy Spirit. Later in Galatians, Paul will say that it is through presence of the Holy Spirit that we are able to bear good fruit in our lives. It is the Spirit that helps us intercede before God when we can’t find the words. Finally, as Danielle Shroyer points out, that without the experience of Pentecost in our lives we’d only be people who tell Jesus’ story. Yet, because of Pentecost we’re a people who live into Jesus’ story.

We have had our own Pentecost at Grace Lutheran Church as the Holy Spirit has lit a fire under us. Through the work of the Holy Spirit in, with, and through Shepherding Team we’ve made major ministry changes to our worship and faith formation lives, and it is the Holy Spirit that has moved many of you to participate. Each week I encounter more folk who are led to this place and are warmly welcomed by you; that’s the Spirit at work. Whenever parents bring an infant to the baptismal font or an adult does so, it’s the Holy Spirit moving in their lives. It is the Holy Spirit who has moved this congregation outward in the formation of a community garden and gathered a group of passionate individuals to make it happen. We continue live Pentecost.

Today we honor and recognize our high school graduates, those who have reached a milestone on their journey of faith. It was a journey that begun when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon them at their baptisms. Young people, I am not going to give you advice this morning, because you’ll be getting far more than you’ll need of that in the days ahead. But we will give you two things that are even better. First, we are giving you a quilt today as a concrete reminder that God is always present in your life, all evidence to the contrary, and that you are enfolded in God’s mercy, love, and grace no matter where you go. Second, we give you an invitation to see where God’s Spirit is blowing in, with, and through your life. The Spirit’s presence may not be as dramatic as that first Pentecost, but I can assure you that it will be no less powerful. Sometimes that may be a little unnerving and we understand that. However, in this case we Christians are a strange bunch because think it’s more than okay to play with fire. Amen.

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