Pastor's Reflection

 

Reflections on Pentecost

“In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.”

Pentecost: The pouring out of the Spirit of God upon the disciples. The birth of Christ’s Church. The word, “Spirit”, has come to mean something pale and shapeless - something vague and not quite there. Spirits are bed sheets floating out of reach. Spirits are transparent images of people, mute and slightly disturbed. Spirits belong to the realm of Halloween – the time of goblins, demons and Star War characters. But the Latin word “Spiritus” from which we derive “Spirit” literally means “breath”: and “breath” is what you have when you are alive, and don’t have when you are dead. Spirit equals Breath equals Life.

Spirit is the power of your living, your aliveness. With every breath you take, you receive “Spirit” – you receive “Life”. We speak of people that are “inspiring” – that fill us with life, and lift up our lives to new heights, give our lives new directions. This is the way Acts describes the effect of God’s Spirit on the disciples. Hiding, afraid, isolated after Jesus’ death – The Spirit of God fills their lives with new inspiration – blows them out of hiding and gives them inspiring voices. Speaking in every tongue, they fill the lives of the crowd before them. They inspire them to faith in Christ – 3,000 that day – inspired by the Spirit of God.

Can you recall a person that inspired you? That opened up your life? That made you “alive” in a way you never were before? Changed the way you see things? Changed the way you live? Can you think of a Pentecost story in your life? “In the last days it will be, declares God, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all people: your sons and daughters, your young men and women, your old shall prophesy.”

You and I are vessels of the Holy Spirit. We are living containers for the word of God. We are breathing inspirers of Christ. Like the Apostles before us – you and I are given God’s Spirit. It is poured into our lives with every breath we take. You and I are chosen to inspire other people – God’s people – to open their lives to the grace and power of God’s love.

Consider this: What can you do or say that will inspire someone you know? Maybe this sounds difficult – and maybe like the disciples you want to hide your faith and keep it in the comfort zone behind the closed and locked doors of your heart.

But it is important to understand what power you have been given by God. This power is described in Genesis, at the very beginning. The Bible begins by describing God as a Spirit moving over the formless void. Out of this void, God’s creative Spirit called forth the heavens and earth. And here is the most insightful revelation of all the Scriptures – How the Spirit works: and God said, “let there be light”, and there was light.

The Word of God is the Spirit of God, working, creating, breathing, giving life. This is what it means at the end of the Creation Story in Genesis – When God creates you and I in his image. We have the power to create – to inspire – we have the power of “words”. God spoke, and the Universe sprang forth from his words above. You and I speak and a world can be opened up in the life of the person we address. They can be Inspired, Lifted, Lives Brightened, Hope Conveyed, Love Shared.

Given with the power to inspire is also the power to destroy – We can tear them down: Criticize, Belittle, Critique and devalue, Demean and Crush the Spirit within. We have been given the power of God’s Spirit – How we use it is a measure of our faith and trust in God.

“In the last day, God declares, I will pour out my Spirit upon every person.”

So, let us pray: Make me an instrument of your Word, Dear God, a vessel of your grace.

“And your sons and daughters will prophesy; your men and women, young and old will see visions and dream dreams.”

So, let us pray: Inspire me to love, Dear God, inspire me to inspire with visions and dreams of your world transformed.

“Receive the Holy Spirit”, Jesus said, and he breathed on them. “Peace be with you as the Father has sent me – So I send you.”

— Rev. Nicholas J. Zook