Sunday, June 9, 2019

The Day of Pentecost

First Reading: Acts 2:1-21 or Genesis 11:1-9
Psalm 104:24-34, 35b
Second Reading: Romans 8:14-17 or Acts 2:1-21
Gospel Reading: John 14:8-17 (25-27)

The liturgical color for the day is: Red

It is appropriate to preach from the given texts for the 7^th Sunday of Easter or use the texts from the Ascension of the Lord.

While the Gospel Lesson is ALWAYS appropriate to use in worship, this week may be one of those weeks where the focus could be on both the Acts lesson and the Genesis lesson.  If you have been following the tradition of the church and using the reading from Acts during the season of Easter as the first reading, then this wonderful old story from Genesis can serves as pre-reversal, of sorts, of the story of Pentecost.   The Gospel lesson from John also witnesses a wonderful fulfillment of promise on the Day of Pentecost.

Pentecost is full of action, Spirit-breath wind, and audible resonance with the God who continues to move among us.

It is what God does in our lives.  A new song.  A new way.  A new view.  A new opportunity.  A new challenge.  New.  Such is the essence of the poured-out Spirit.  What if we welcomed that new thing God is doing among us rather than clung to the old way?  What if we did that in the church—what if we allowed the breeze of the Holy Spirit to blow us into a new way?  New view?  New opportunity?  New challenge?

Way back in Genesis they had to learn what we learn again and again.  We do not master God.  As soon as we think we can fully grasp or even clearly understand—oh, God’s vision for us is so much larger than anything we construct.

God has more in store for us than we know.  The Holy Spirit has been poured out.  Catch the wind!  If we are still building a tower, we need to stop.  We need to catch the wind and allow the Holy Spirit to blow us into a new way.

Rev. Dr. Daris Bultena
General Presbyter