Pentecost A: The Varied Gifts of the Spirit
Acts 2:1-21
1 Corinthians 12:3b-13
Dear Partner in Preaching,
This will be a very different Pentecost. On one level, that’s pretty obvious, as it’s been a very different everything – Lent, Easter, spring, Memorial Day, and more – this year. On another level, however, this particular Sunday will be even more different in light of the now national debate on opening up church buildings. It seems that nothing these days – wearing masks, the death toll of the virus, congregational worship – can escape the taint of partisan politics. As a result, many of us are now making decisions that we hope are informed by the best available data but will likely be heard as supporting one “side” or another.
And because this Sunday also happens to be Pentecost, I imagine that story will be read, heard, and referenced in quite varied ways. Some will look to the boldness of the newly anointed disciples and suggest that just as they overcame their fears and went bravely into the city to proclaim the word, so also should congregations boldly claim their constitutional rights and re-open their buildings. Others may look to the posture of the disciples just ahead of the gift of the spirit – gathered together in prayer, waiting, and expectation – and suggest that is where we are just now, claiming the power of the Spirit to privilege the public good over individual rights.
There are so many factors in making this decision, and different communities – located in different regions, at different points in the spread of the virus, with different health care resources, and of different sizes and facilities – may come to very different conclusions. And perhaps that is a place to focus this Pentecost Sunday: that communities gathered in the name of Christ do not all look the same, do not all face the same challenges (even during a pandemic), have different resources, and will come to different decisions. Yet in spite of all these differences, we remain united as the people of God, called, equipped, sanctified, and sent to bear witness to God’s love for the world through both ours words and actions.
Toward that end, it’s helpful to remember the setting of the original Pentecost as told in Acts 2: Jews from literally around the known world are gathered together to celebrate the Festival of Weeks, the harvest festival falling seven weeks after Passover. They spoke different languages, had different customs, brought varied experiences and expectations, yet are brought together through the preaching of the crucified Messiah.
And that descriptor – “crucified” – is important. Luke’s story of the expansion of the early Church tends at points to focus so singularly on the strengths, even glory, of the early Christian movement. So much so, in fact, that it’s easy for us to miss that the Jesus to whom we are bearing witness is the one criticized because he included everyone, ridiculed because he took sides with the vulnerable rather than powerful, rejected because he was not what people were expecting in a Messiah, and crucified in weakness and shame. And yet this is the One through whom God redeemed the world by communicating the life-giving news that God’s love is large enough to include everyone and powerful enough to defeat even death. The apparent boldness of the Apostles witness, therefore, should never be divorced from the apparent weakness of the God who comes to suffer rather than wage war and who returns sin with mercy rather than judgment. Just so, we find our unity not in acts of strength but primarily in our shared humanity, vulnerability, and need.
Paul’s testimony to the Spirit is also helpful. Paul reminds us that there are a variety of gifts, but one Spirit, and that all the Spirit’s gifts are given to enhance, as Paul writes, the common good (1 Cor. 12:4-7). That variety may be recognized keenly this week, as while some feel confident that opening church buildings is fitting, others may take a more prudential and cautious route for the sake of the common good. The fruits of the Spirit, Paul tells his congregation in Galatia, include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (5:22-23a). All of those will be required to allow the decisions we make be guided by God’s concern for and commitment to those who are most vulnerable.
The question as posed in the larger culture has been whether congregations are essential. But I don’t think that is the most helpful question at the moment. Of course congregations – and the ministries we carry out – are essential. The more immediate and practical question is whether opening our buildings and resuming gathering people together in larger numbers is essential in light of the greatly increased risks this entails. Again, the circumstances of our congregations may vary greatly, and certainly the opinions and commitments of our parishioners will vary also, but our call remains the same – to allow ourselves to be open to the movement of the Spirit so that we may witness in word and deed to the Christ who came in weakness, identified regularly with the outcast, and shared God’s love for all with a particular concern for the most vulnerable.
Yes, this will be a different Pentecost, with a varied and, truth be told, motley and simultaneously beloved collection of people gathered – whether in person or digitally. These folks hold a variety of hopes and fears, confidence and uncertainty, yet they are united in their shared need and in God’s abundant acceptance and grace. My prayers are with you, Dear Partner in Preaching, as you seek to offer them a word of hope. As you labor, know that the Spirit who emboldened Peter and all the original disciples is also working in and through you to give testimony that will be sufficient, faithful, and fitting to the challenges of the day. Blessings to you this week and always!
Yours in Christ,
David
As always, thought provoking and helpful. Thank you so much for the sermon fodder.
I wonder why our choice always seems to boil down to one way or the other? Maybe that’s culture seeping into our theological thought process. It seems that without intentionality and discipline, it’s quite easy to get sloppy here. Of course Worship is essential and in person corporate worship seems to be one of the ways God uses the Holy Spirit to empower each of us. At our local church, our leaders have decided, at least for now, that it is more important for us to worship together as a church family than to separate ourselves out into multiple gatherings of only 25 people. Thats the law in our area. There’s nothing noble about this decision though. If we could gather together as a church family tomorrow, we probably would while encouraging the most vulnerable to participate via live stream. Yes, quite the contradiction I know. Just like all of you out there we are navigating these uncharted waters the best way we know how. We are prayerful, knowing the gravity of the decisions we make. Admittedly its tough and lonely in these times as priest and pastor. In times like these it sure would be nice for someone else to be in charge. And yet, here we are. And here we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be leaders. I think that’s where I am today. Its somewhat comforting to know that as uncomfortable as we are with the given circumstances, God has chosen us to lead. And in that reality, God… the Holy Spirt is going to be with me… is going to be with us… no matter what. It’s always been tough to be a Christian; being in this world but not of this world. Just ask the martyrs. So as leaders, if we wait until August or September or whenever to begin holding in person worship, God is going to be with us. And, as leaders, if we figure out how to have safe worship as a parish family now, God will be with us there as well. And we don’t need to judge or cast dispersions on other worshiping communities who prayerfully come to a different decision than we do.
I think maybe I got of course here. This is feeling more about COVID-19 reflection than a theological Pentecost sermon preparations. And yet, this is where your writings led me. Thank you David.