Experiencing the Miracles of Pentecost

The Day of Pentecost, stained glass window located in the bridge between Christ Church and Dublinia

I had the privilege of preaching today at the confirmation service held in the cathedral this afternoon. A confirmation, on Pentecost Sunday, I was truly honoured to do it!

As a festival, this one doesn’t get as much air time as Christmas or Easter. Unlike Christmas and Easter, it doesn’t get a season, just one Sunday. There are no Pentecost chocolates, we don’t send cards and we don’t exchange gifts.

In a way, I wonder why that is? It seems to me that the events described in the Pentecost reading from the Acts of the Apostles are tremendously important. Does the scene just seem strange? How does it actually relate to us?

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.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. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. (Acts 2:1-4)

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is described as ‘a sound like the rush of a violent wind’, then there were ‘divided tongues, as of fire’ that appeared over each persons head. So we’ve a violent wind and flames of fire independently moving around the room, does it sound like any prayer meetings you’ve attended? That’s not all. The disciples present ‘began to speak in other languages as the Spirit gave them ability’. Violent wind, flames of fire and people suddenly speaking languages they have never studied. What on earth can be the meaning of such a fantastic scene and why should we take note of it? First of all, by its very otherworldly-ness, it reminds us of God’s power.

God does not always fit neatly in the box that we have prepared for him. The movement of God’s Spirit shakes things up. We may find it uncomfortable, but nevertheless we should welcome it.

Early on in the book The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in the Chronicles of Narnia series, the children learn that this character Aslan, who is supposed to be King, and whom their animal friends have been talking about is not a human man at all, but a lion. They are surprised by this a little afraid.

The youngest child, Lucy, asks, "Is He safe?"

"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver."Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."

And all across the books, at different times, characters will remark of Aslan, "He's wild, you know. Not a tame lion."

I think that very often, we’d be happy enough with a tame God, a God we can dictate to, a God who’s there for us when we want, and aside from that doesn’t make too many demands. But of course, that is not who God is and that is not the way God works. If we make it our project to tame God and keep God in a box, we’ll find eventually the box will be shattered—and that’s a good thing. The day of Pentecost reminds us of this.

And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? (Acts 2:6-8)

And what about all that about people suddenly speaking different languages that were not their own, native languages? What’s that all about? The sudden language about is an amazing enough miracle, but it strikes me that the real miracle is the fact that this mixed crowd of people, of all sorts of ethnic groups, a cosmopolitan crowd gathered in Jerusalem for a festival, each heard and understood in their native languages. To my mind, the real miracle was the miracle of understanding, and that I think is the second lesson for us to take away from the day of Pentecost.

How many tragedies do we see on our news feeds that result from division, animosity and lack of connection or understanding of others? From wars, to ethnic cleansing on the world stage, to subtle or not-so-subtle expressions of racism and discrimination closer to home, we human beings do have quite a lot of difficulties in relating to and accepting people who are different from ourselves.

Perhaps we even feel a lack of understanding in our church communities. Maybe between older and younger generations, it feels like we are speaking different languages. Then isn’t that just when we need a miracle? Not so that each of us can shout louder to get our message across, but rather that our ears are opened, we suddenly are able to understand what others are saying. When we really hear and understand, perhaps new possibilities will open in the way we relate to each other.

The day of Pentecost reminds us of God’s power, gives us hope for miracles of understanding, but I think there is one more important thing. We see in this text a promise of a community of diverse members.

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. (Acts 2:17-18)

This is the third lesson, and one that is especially important for you on the occasion of a confirmation. The power of God’s Spirit is not just for people standing at the front wearing robes. God’s Spirit is promised to sons and daughters, young men and old, even male and female slaves. In short, everyone is eligible! When the text refers to prophecy, this is not some kind of fortune-telling. Prophecy is understood in the broad sense as inspired words from God, perhaps for guidance but also simply proclamation, bearing witness to who God is, and calling people to walk in that truth.

What is described here in the action of God’s Spirit is a community of diverse members: diverse in age, male and female, of different social standings. Each, enlivened by God’s Spirit, is enabled to play an active role. Each has the capacity to bear witness to God’s power. And without that diversity, without young and old, male and female, different perspectives and different experiences of life, the body is less, the church is less. What you bring is unique, it is important and it is irreplaceable. Everyone one of you is a unique and beloved child of God. You are not the product of a factory line, you are a work of art. Bring your gifts into the life of the church and the wider world and let God’s Spirit work through you in the uniqueness of who you are.

Power, understanding and diversity—these are the miracles of the day of Pentecost in our text, and I pray these will be miracles of the outpouring of God’s Spirit that you yourselves will experience in your lives and in your ministries as followers of Jesus.