How the Holy Spirit helps us to work together

May 24, 2026 1 Corinthians 12:3-13 How the Holy Spirt helps us to work together Pentecost Sunday Year A Prelude Greeting Call to Worship One: We’re gathered to celebrate Pentecost JOY, grateful God still pours out the Spirit on all flesh! Many: We celebrate, for our sons and our daughters shall prophesy! One: Some will see visions, and others, dream dreams. Many: In that day, all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved! One: Let the wind blow free, let God’s Spirit fill us all! (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer Ever-breathing God, like a mighty wind bringing fresh air and new life to each and to all! Fill us with your Spirit this day! Renew in us a passion for you, for your all-encompassing love, and for this congregation. Inspire us! Help us breathe in the power you offer. Set us on fire to do the mighty works you’ve prepared for us, even as we’re energized in this time of worship. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Song In Christ there is no East or West UMH 548 A Sermon for all Ages Have a colorful kite with you if possible. “Wow! Look at this kite! What does a kite need to fly?” (Wait for answers: wind, string, someone to hold it, open space.) “You can’t always see the wind, can you? But you can see what the wind does. The wind lifts the kite, moves it, and helps it soar high in the sky. Pentecost is the day we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is kind of like the wind. We cannot see the Holy Spirit with our eyes, but we can see what the Holy Spirit does in people’s lives. In our Bible reading today from 1 Corinthians, Paul says that everyone has different spiritual gifts. Some people are good at teaching. Some are good at helping. Some are kind encouragers. Some are singers. Some are leaders. Some are good listeners. God gives every person special gifts through the Holy Spirit. This kite reminds me of the church. Look at all the different parts: the sticks, the fabric, the tail, the string. Every part matters. If one part is missing, the kite will not fly very well. That is how the church works too. We all have different gifts, but the same Holy Spirit helps us work together. And just like the wind lifts the kite, the Holy Spirit lifts us up to do amazing things for God. Maybe your gift is making people smile. Maybe your gift is helping someone who is sad. Maybe your gift is praying, singing, sharing, or showing kindness. You do not have to be grown-up to have a spiritual gift. God’s Spirit works in children too! So whenever you see a kite flying in the wind, remember: even though we cannot see the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit is always moving, helping, and lifting us up.” The kite teaches us three lessons – it needs the wind to fly, it’s foundation is a cross – and the only way it can fly free in the wind, is if it is tied to a steady foundation. Prayer: “Dear God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you for giving each of us special gifts to share. Help us use our gifts to love others and serve you. Lift us up like a kite in the wind. In Jesus’ name, Amen.” A litany for those who would fly kites Leader: Those who fly kites know that kites are earthbound and cannot lift and soar until they are caught by the wind. People: People and churches are earthbound and cannot be themselves until the wind of God’s Spirit lifts them to fly. Leader: Kites are not free to thrust and move until they are let go to explore the skies. People: People and churches are not free to love and care until they can let go and catch the Spirit which is love. Leader: Kites have no power and direction unless they are caught and controlled by the wind. People: People and churches have no power and direction unless they allow the Spirit of God to move within them. Leader: Let us pray… Together: O God, may your Spirit lift us from being earthbound and free us to soar, to explore, to have direction and purpose. O God, help us to fly as people freed by your Spirit, to live and to love. (theBillabong.com) Scripture 1 Corinthians 12:3-13 Sermon How the Holy Spirit helps us work together There are symbols of Pentecost all around us today. There is the red to symbolize fire, the air conditioner is running representing the wind, there are doves up above the chancel area, and the breath of God is inside of us all. This is the day when we remember that the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and launched the church into the world. And today Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12 what Pentecost really means for the church. Pentecost is the birthday of the church- it is just like any other birthday. The day we are born is important, but we continue to celebrate that day every year of our life. Every year – we receive gifts, and the gifts become bigger as we grow older. At three you would be excited to get a tricycle. As we get older we are excited by a bicycle, and eventually we are expecting a car. Pentecost gifts are the same, the closer we are to God, the more we realize our gifts. Pentecost is not just about what happened long ago in Jerusalem. Pentecost is about who we are right now. We are Pentecost people. The mission is in our hands. And perhaps one of the best symbols for Pentecost is a kite. There is something beautiful about watching a kite fly. A kite dancing in the wind captures our attention immediately. Children stop and stare. Adults look upward. A kite reminds us there is something larger than ourselves moving around us. But a kite teaches us something important. A kite cannot fly by itself. You can buy the most beautiful kite in the world. Bright colors. Long tail. Strong frame. But if there is no wind, it simply lies flat on the ground. The church is the same way. Without the Holy Spirit, the church becomes nothing more than a building, a committee, or a social club. We can organize meetings. We can print bulletins. We can maintain traditions. But without the Spirit, we never truly rise. Paul says, “No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit.” That is where Pentecost begins. The Holy Spirit enables us to confess Christ as Lord. That confession may sound simple, but it changes everything. To say “Jesus is Lord” means Caesar is not lord. Politics is not lord. Wealth is not lord. Fear is not lord. My ego is not lord. Jesus is Lord. The Holy Spirit lifts our hearts and points us toward Christ the way the wind lifts a kite into the sky. A kite was never meant to stay on the ground. And the church was never meant to stay grounded either. Too often the church becomes comfortable sitting still. We become focused only on survival. We worry about budgets, buildings, attendance, and preferences. We hold tightly to the kite and forget the wind. But Pentecost reminds us that God’s mission is always larger than our fears. The disciples were hiding behind locked doors before Pentecost. After the Spirit came, they moved into the streets. They preached. They served. They crossed boundaries. They carried the gospel into the world. The Spirit took frightened followers and turned them into the church. And that same Spirit still moves today. Paul says there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. Every kite looks a little different. Some are large. Some are small. Some move quickly in the wind while others glide slowly and steadily. Yet they all depend upon the same wind. So it is with the church. Not everyone has the same gift. Some teach. Some sing. Some pray quietly. Some organize. Some visit the sick. Some cook meals. Some lead missions. Some encourage others. Some work with children. Some give generously. Some offer wisdom and compassion in difficult moments. The church needs every gift. A kite needs every part too. Remove the frame and it collapses. Remove the tail and it spins out of control. Cut the string and it drifts away. Sometimes people think their gifts are too small to matter. But Paul reminds us that we are all part of one body. Pentecost means that the Spirit has given every believer a role in God’s mission. Not just pastors. Not just leaders. Not just the loudest voices. Everyone. The mission is in our hands. And perhaps that is the hardest part of Pentecost for us to accept. We often pray for God to do something while forgetting that God has already sent the Spirit upon the church. We are waiting for someone else to change the world while God is waiting for us to use the gifts we already have. The kite does not create the wind, but it must respond to it. The church does not control the Spirit, but we are called to respond when the Spirit moves. And sometimes the Spirit pushes us into uncomfortable places. The wind can pull hard on a kite string. Anyone who has flown a kite knows that sometimes the wind changes direction unexpectedly. Sometimes it lifts higher than we planned. In a prayer letter about her ministry, a friend of mine described her angst as a teenager. Her sister knew that she wanted to be a teacher, but my friend wasn’t clear on what she wanted to be and do, and she felt shame that her ambitions weren’t clear to her. Toward the end of her college years, God spoke to her in a picture: “First I saw an arrow and felt God say, ‘See, this is like your sister, keenly focused on a single target that she’ll hit right on the mark.’ Next, I saw a kite swaying in the wind and felt God say, ‘I made you like this kite. Your life will go in many directions, but you’ll always be anchored in my hands. I need your sister to be focused, but I need you to be available. Are you willing?’” The Holy Spirit does that too. The Spirit calls churches to welcome new people. The Spirit calls us to serve beyond our comfort zones. The Spirit calls us to forgive when we would rather stay angry. The Spirit calls us to speak hope into a divided world. Pentecost is not safe. But it is holy. Paul also reminds us that “in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body.” Baptism ties all of this together. In baptism, we are connected to Christ and to one another. We become part of the body of Christ. We are no longer isolated kites scattered across the ground. We are joined together in God’s mission. And notice what Paul says: Jews and Greeks, slaves and free, all were made to drink of one Spirit. The Spirit breaks barriers. The church at its best is not divided by race, wealth, politics, nationality, age, or status. Pentecost creates a new community where all belong because all are united in Christ. That is the miracle of Pentecost. Not just speaking in different languages. Not just wind and fire. But people becoming one body through the Holy Spirit. And the world desperately needs that witness today. We live in a world pulling apart at the seams. Division is everywhere. Loneliness is everywhere. Cynicism is everywhere. But the church is called to be a Pentecost people. A people lifted by the Spirit. A people united in Christ. A people sent on mission. And maybe that is why a kite is such a fitting image for the church. A kite always points upward. That is what the Spirit does for us. The Spirit lifts our eyes beyond ourselves. Beyond fear. Beyond despair. Beyond earthly divisions. The Spirit reminds us that we belong to God and that God is not finished with the world yet. But a kite also remains connected by a string. That matters too. Because Pentecost is not about escaping the world. It is about being sent into it. The Spirit lifts us toward God while keeping us connected to the people around us. The church is called to soar spiritually while remaining grounded in mission. Feeding the hungry. Serving the poor. Welcoming the stranger. Teaching children. Caring for the lonely. Sharing the gospel. Living as the body of Christ. The mission is in our hands. The End Is the Beginning The end of the gospel of John always sends us back to the beginning. Every ending always implies the beginning of something new. On December 31st, the last day of the year, we celebrate the beginning of the New Year. Pregnancy ends with the delivery of a baby, and a new life begins—for both the parents and the baby. When you finish High School, you enter a new world of college or work. Jesus’ death on the cross was an ending, but it was also a beginning. Pentecost is the last day of the Easter season, and it is also celebrated as the beginning of the church. Carla Gorrell, Looks Like a Conspiracy ___________________________ The Holy Gust The Keys to the Car There are transitional moments in life that confirm something tremendous has taken place. One of those moments occurs in a teenager's life and in lives of the parents of that particular teenager, when a mom or a dad gives to him or her the keys to the car for the first time for a solo run. What a transitional moment this is! Many of us have already experienced this. Some of you still have to experience it in life, but, I guarantee you, it's going to happen. It's going to be a step of growth for you. It's a time when you release to your child into an adult world. It's a change in your son or daughter's life from which they are never going to turn back. It's a moment in which you are giving your child an adult responsibility. It is a transitional moment for the child also because the teenager recognizes that he has been given a great responsibility. It's an adult responsibility. He also realizes that this is something that he needs to take care with because great trust has been put in him. Teenagers need to prove to their parents that the validity of their faith in them is correct. In the Scripture for today, Jesus does something very similar for His followers. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, so send I you." Jesus is tossing the keys to the kingdom to His disciples. He is demonstrating that He is accepting them as His followers but He is also demonstrating to them that He is entrusting to them the message of the gospel. He gives to them a great privilege. He is showing them that He believes in them. Don Walker, Commissioned to a New Ministry _________________________ So on this Pentecost Sunday, perhaps we should ask ourselves: Are we resisting the wind of the Spirit? Have we settled for lying flat on the ground? Have we forgotten the gifts God has already given us? Because the Spirit is still blowing. The question is whether we are willing to rise. The church does not belong only to the past. Pentecost was not the ending of the story. It was the beginning. The Holy Spirit still empowers us to confess Christ as Lord. The Holy Spirit still gives gifts to the church. The Holy Spirit still unites us through baptism into one body. And the Holy Spirit still sends us into the world. We are Pentecost people. The mission is in our hands. So let us catch the wind of the Spirit once more and soar for the glory of God. Amen. Song I’m going to sing when the spirit says sing UMH 333 Prayers of the People (You don’t have to print) God of the gathering wind, as we celebrate Pentecost and feel summer’s first warm breath, plant in us the quiet courage of seeds beneath soil — small but determined, destined to rise. Align our seasons with your divine rhythms. Let us unfurl in righteousness like morning glories p2 opening to dawn light, like wheat fields bending golden under your gaze. Spirit of Peace, in these days when violence seems to engulf us – when weapons thunder across borders, when classrooms become places of terror, when families walk endless miles seeking shelter – deliver us from the darkness we have allowed to flourish. Guide the long journey of human history toward your promised justice. Grant us the strength to stand against hatred’s divisions, to speak your love that knows no boundaries, to transform systems that perpetuate suffering, to be steadfast in our pursuit of peace. Wind of wisdom, Breath of understanding, You who once drew scattered people together at Pentecost — kindle in us a hospitality that mirrors Christ’s open arms. Unseal our hearts to truly see the journeys others walk. Fill us with that love which defies boundaries, which heals what seems beyond repair. Let us become your unified voice rising from many throats, your single body formed of countless limbs, offering gratitude for the redemption you have promised and continue to unfold among us. Merciful One, attend to these whispered hopes we offer. Together now, as Christ’s living presence, we turn to the ancient words that Jesus gave us praying… “Our Father…” Charge and benediction May the spark of God ignite you. May the love of Christ renew you. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment Over many years, Christians have marked Pentecost Day as the birthday of the church. Today, we’re celebrating this birthday with ________________ (Describe what you’re doing: Birthday cake after worship? Balloons? A kitchen shower with gifts to help the kitchen be more usable? Canned food for your food pantry?) Of course, birthdays often mean presents too! You’re invited to share a birthday gift today, as part of our morning offering. Will you give an extra dollar for each year you’ve been part of this congregation? How about a financial gift in thanksgiving for the number of years since this congregation began ministry? Perhaps you will give a penny, nickel, dime, or dollar for each year since our calendar marks time since Jesus was born? ($20.26, $101.30, $202.60, $2026.00!) Happy birthday to the church! Let’s receive our morning offering, including any and all birthday gifts today. Prayer of Thanksgiving Holy God, By your hand, creation came out of chaos. Through your love, Jesus came to teach, heal and share Good News. With your Spirit, we are empowered to share what we now offer, to build up your church, share Good News, and rejoice as new life emerges out of chaos. So touch this offering and help it be used wisely and well. Breathe your Spirit into each one present today, so together we eagerly act out your love for the world, AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for those on Facebook Having been quenched and ignited by Spirit And united in the waters of the baptized life Let us go from this gathering as members of the Body of Christ— Together even when distant Understanding and understood across difference Resolved beyond fear and empowered by the Spirit Joyful in amazement and in mystery Visioning, prophesying, dreaming As on the Day of Pentecost (United Church of Christ, Cheryl Lindsay) Community Time – Joys and Concerns Charge and Benediction May the spark of God ignite you. May the love of Christ renew you. May the Holy Spirit fill you on this Pentecost Sunday and the days to come. Amen. (Presbyterian Outlook, Terri McDowell Ott) Additional Illustrations You Are in the Spirit It's like the story of the shark and the whale. Both were swimming in the sea when the shark swam up to the whale to engage in conversation. As they swam along, the shark said to the whale, "You are so much older than I, and wiser too. Could you tell me where the ocean is?" The whale responded, "The ocean is what you are in now." The shark would not believe it. "Come on, tell me where the ocean is so I may find it!" The whale repeated, "The ocean is here, now; you are in it." Unbelieving, the shark swam away searching for the ocean. The moral of the story, I believe, is this: don't spend too much time looking for God because the Spirit of God is here in the now of your life, dwelling within you, within me, within this community. And that truth is nurtured in prayer. Susan M. Fleenor, The Indwelling Spirit of Pentecost Peace The peace Jesus gives to us through the Holy Spirit is more than we can ever imagine: Peace means the cessation of all warfare, but it also means much more. Peace means a feeling of inner well-being, but it also means much more. Peace means an end to psychological tensions, but it also means much more. Peace means halting interpersonal conflicts, but it also means much more. Peace means the settling of silence on the soul, but it also means much more. In Valyermo, California , the Benedictines converted a 400-acre ranch into a religious community called St. Andrew's Priory. As you enter the grounds, you find that the land is posted: "No Hunting Except for Peace." The world is hunting for peace. What will we give it? Leonard Sweet, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com They All Come Together John Ortberg tells the story of a friend who made his first trip south of the Mason-Dixon Line from Chicago to Georgia. On his first morning in the South he went into a restaurant to order breakfast, and it seemed that every dish included something called grits...which, as my Tennessee friends tell me, is exactly the way God intended it. Not being familiar with this southern delicacy, he asked the waitress, "Could you tell me, exactly what is a grit?" Looking down on him with a mixture of compassion and condescension, she said, "Sugar, you can't get just one grit. They always come together." John Wesley knew there was no personal holiness without social holiness, and Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Dillard says, "You can no more go to God alone than you can go to the North Pole alone." We're just like grits...you can't get just one. They come together. John E. Harnish, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com _______________________________________________ Lost and Found Picture a little girl lost in a big city. There she sits, crying on the curb. A policeman finds her, puts her in his cruiser and drives her up and down the streets, hoping she'll recognize something familiar. Which, at last, she does. She sees a steeple with a cross on it. Tears vanish. Speech returns. "That's my church," she says. "I can find my way from here." You're not the only one, little girl. William A. Ritter, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com Wrong! – Acts 2:1-13 by Leonard Sweet Today is Pentecost, the birthday of the church. The symbols of the Pentecost gift are wind and fire. Every birthday is accompanied by a cake over which there is the ritual of wind and fire. But in the course of blowing out candles in your lifetime, have you ever missed one? Ever miscalculate the amount of wind needed to get it 100% right? [To make your sermon more EPIC, you might want to showcase a birthday cake, and blow out some candles. You could even have some fun and include some gag (magic re-lighting) candles that you can’t blow out.] In 1972 veteran journalist Ross Gelbsan attended an environmental conference discussing “The Limits of Growth.” The entire conference had a “doom-and-gloom” feel to it, as the projections of scientists and economists foresaw the end of the world as we know it based on population growth, the destruction of natural resources, etc. Their conclusions were dire. The world would exhaust almost all its resources in about thirty years. But as Gelbsan absorbed all these dreadful predictions he noticed that one of the primary spokespersons for doom and gloom, environmental scientist Donella Meadows, was pregnant. Gelbson interpreted her pregnancy as a note of “personal hopefulness” amidst all this bad news. When his article on this event was finally published by The Village Voice, he used Meadows’ pregnancy as a call for optimism. Even when events appear unremittingly grim, pregnancy shows that there is still cause for hope in our children. It was a wonderful article and a great image. Only one problem: Donella Meadows wasn’t pregnant. Oops!! Wrong!!! Kathryn Schultz tells this story on her friend Ross Gelbson in her remarkable book Being Wrong (HarperCollins Publishers, 2010). Schultz wants to convince her readers that “being wrong” is not something we can avoid, and it isn’t even something we should actively TRY to avoid. Schultz finds that our “wrongs” are sometimes the most creative, imaginative, extravagant, and courageous expressions of our humanity. “The capacity to err,” Schultz contends, “is crucial to human cognition” (p.5). If Schultz is right about being wrong, then we in the church are in deep trouble. Increasingly, church people can’t see others as simply being wrong but evil. Why must we always demonize the other side? What can’t people just be wrong without being demonic or evil? In fact, isn’t the ultimate in evil the notion that you’re always right and never wrong?.... _________________________ Scribbling With Their Tongues Reader’s Digest once carried a wonderful story of a mother who was describing her family’s visit as tourists to Wales. She was describing her six-year-old son’s reaction the first time he heard the Welsh language being spoken. “Mom,” he said, “it sounds like they’re scribbling with their tongues.” That is how the disciples may have sounded when the Spirit came upon them, like they were scribbling with their tongues but they were not speaking gibberish. They were speaking known languages that people who overheard them could understand. Some of those present that first Pentecost made fun of the disciples and accused them of being intoxicated. If the police had happened by, they might have issued warrants reading “drunk and disorderly.” But the apostle Peter stood up and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Then Peter proceeded to tell them about Jesus. Peter’s preaching made an impression. About three thousand were added to the church on that one day. King Duncan, ChristianGlobe Illustrations ________________________ She Knew What to Say The manager of a stock brokerage firm had heard his pastor, Sarah Magnuson, lead a congregation retreat, and he was impressed by her incisive style. A few days after the retreat he came to Sarah's office with what seemed like an unusual invitation. "I've got a couple dozen stock brokers working for me," he told his pastor as he sipped a cup of coffee. "I hold a weekly meeting of these people, and every so often I like to bring in someone to talk to them, someone who comes from an entirely different set of circumstances." "So?" Sarah said, not knowing quite what her parishioner wanted. But she was suspicious. "So," he said, "I liked the way you handled the material on the retreat last weekend. I'd like to set up a time when you would talk to my brokers. And by the way, attendance at these meetings is mandatory; this is a permanent appointment on their weekly calendar." Sarah was nonplussed. "Don't make that kind of suggestion while I have coffee in my mouth," she kidded. "Besides, I can't appear before those people. I don't know zip about stoc_esermonsks and investments. What am I supposed to do, bone up on the brokerage business?" "No," her friend said. "These people are experts in their field. You don't need to know anything about the technicalities of their business." He let that sink in for a few seconds. "But you know something they don't know -- you know the Gospel. That's where you excel." "But I can't speak their language," Sarah lamely complained. "You don't have to speak their language," he replied. "You just speak your language, the language that comes from your knowledge of the Gospel and what it says to us. If I know you, my guess is they'll understand what you have to say." A few weeks later Sarah finished addressing the group on the subject of ethics in the business world, firmly and unabashedly based on Scriptures. And she topped it off with a question and answer period that took the group past the normal closing time for these meetings. As the brokers moved back to their offices, a variety of positive comments could be heard in the hallways. "The boss picked a ringer this time," one broker said. "She didn't pull any punches," another chimed in. The following day the manager called his pastor to thank her. "You made a very positive impact on them," he said, "and I appreciate what you told us." "Even though I couldn't speak their jargon?" Sarah asked, somewhat pleased that she had scored so well. "You said exactly what they needed to hear," her grateful parishioner assured her, "and don't worry -- they understood you." Merle G. Franke, Lectionary Tales from the Pulpit, Cycle A Shaken from Our Sanctuaries A few years ago, AT&T had a major snafu in New York City. They had an agreement with the city that, when electrical demand peaked, AT&T would switch to their backup generators. One day they did that, and something went wrong. When they switched over, the resulting power surge blew a number of rectifiers. Not only did that knock out phone service in the area, it also disrupted communications for air controllers at Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark airports. Over a thousand flights were affected. Usually, technicians would fix that kind of blackout quickly. However, they didn't respond quickly on that particular occasion. While alarm bells rang unheard, the technicians were--believe it or not--attending a training session on how to handle an emergency. I worry that something like that often happens in the church. Christ has called us to serve the world for which he died. Worship is that time when we strengthen our spirits for service to the world. When worship becomes an end in itself, we are not being what Christ has called us to be. We need to be shaken from our sanctuaries and into the streets. King Duncan, Collected Works, www.Sermons.com What if Jesus Were Really Boss? Some years ago Charles Sheldon wrote a book titled, In His Steps. In that book he told about the revolution which occurred in the lives of a church and a congregation when the people decide to put every moral issue to the test of one question—“What would Jesus do?”. Perhaps his book was a bit naive. We are not always sure of what Jesus would do in every situation. Many of the moral issues which we must face as we come to the end of the Twentieth century were never part of His First-century world. Perhaps a better form of the question is: “Given what I know of the mind and spirit of Jesus Christ, what would Christ have me do?” I am confident that a revolution would follow if we were to ever really take that question seriously. But that is what we mean when we confess our faith that “Jesus Christ is Lord.” “Lord,” in the vernacular, means “Boss.” What if Jesus Christ really were Boss around here? Donald B. Strobe, Collected Works, www.Sermons.com _________________________ The Wild Goose Celtic Christians chose, not the dove, but the wild goose as a symbol representing the Holy Spirit. It sounds strange to us, but it has a long tradition in Ireland. While the Roman Church imagined the Holy Spirit in the form of a peaceful, graceful dove, the Ancient Celts understood the Holy Spirit to be like a wild goose. When you hear of the Spirit descending like a heavenly dove on you, you hear harps and strings softly playing and get a peaceful feeling. The image of the Holy Spirit as dove has become so familiar and domesticated an image we pay little attention. The image of a wild goose descending upon you is a different matter altogether. A wild goose is one noisy, bothersome bird. I like this image of the Holy Spirit as a wild goose because it jars us out of our complacency. We need such an image to correct our overly safe and overly sweet image of the Spirit. One preacher friend asked, "How many times can you sing 'There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in This Place' without your blood sugar reaching diabetic levels?" When the Spirit comes in the Bible, it never seems to be sweet or safe. God's Spirit called the prophets to speak to Israel in words that were bold and sometimes dangerous. Ezekiel saw a vision of God's Spirit blowing through a valley of dry bones and bringing them to life. John the Baptist dressed in camel's hair and eating wild locusts proclaimed, "I baptize you with water but he who comes after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Paul gave this advice to young Timothy, "For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline" (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Neither safe nor tame, the Spirit inspired Paul to proclaim, "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28). It was this wild Goose that Jesus referred to when he preached his first sermon and quoted Isaiah, saying, "For the Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of God's favor"(Luke 4:18) Mickey Anders, Pentecost The Irresistible Influence of the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit warms us and melts our cold, cold hearts. Recently I ran across a parable that makes the point: Once upon a time there was a piece of iron, which was very strong and very hard. Many attempts had been made to break it, but all had failed. “I’ll master it,” said the axe… and his blows fell heavily upon the piece of iron, but every blow only made the axe’s edge more blunt, until it finally ceased to strike and gave up in frustration. “Leave it to me,” said the saw… and it worked back and forth on the iron’s surface until its jagged teeth were all worn and broken. Then in despair, the saw quit trying and fell to the side. “Ah!” said the hammer, “I knew you two wouldn’t succeed. I’ll show you how to do this!” But at the first fierce blow, off flew its head and the piece of iron remained just as before, proud and hard and unchanged. “Shall I try?” asked the small soft flame. “Forget it,” everyone else said. “What can you do? You’re too small and you have no strength.” But the small soft flame curled around the piece of iron, embraced it… and never left it until it melted under its warm irresistible influence. There’s a sermon there somewhere. Perhaps it means that God’s way is not the way of force but love. God’s way is not to break hearts but to melt them. Perhaps it means that that is our calling – to melt hearts… under the irresistible warmth of God’s gracious love. James W. Moore, What Do You Do With Such A Gift? _______________________ Christianity Outside the Church D.L. Moody once called on a leading citizen in Chicago to persuade him to accept Christ. They were seated in the man’s parlor. It was winter and coal was burning in the fireplace. The man objected that he could be just as good a Christian outside the church as in it. Moody said nothing, but stepped to the fireplace, took the tongs, picked a blazing coal from the fire and set it off by itself. In silence the two watched it smolder and go out. “I see,” said the man. The Interpreter’s Bible _________________________ Some Pentecost Thoughts As I see it, the Holy Spirit is graciously and unobtrusively busy all over the place. The quiet Helper. The unpretentious Friend. The Helper is quietly at work: in the sincere concern of a friend for our health, in those who take a stand against injustice, in the grace of folk who go the second mile, in the inner resources we discover in times of crisis, in those who dare to go against the tide of popular opinion, in the grace that enables us to admit when we are wrong, in the resilience of people who fight for the rights of others, in those who surrender some of their rights for the larger good, in times when we share the Gospel in spite of our inadequacy, in finding joy in unexpected places, in taking on responsibilities that we once thought beyond us, in refusing to let the greed of society take over our soul, in giving thanks always, even through the hard times of life, in rising above past failures and putting past hurts behind us. in finding a central core of peace in the midst of turmoil, in daring to laugh in situations where some would curse, in knowing ourselves to be children of God, in knowing ourselves loved, even when we have been very unlovable. Bruce D. Prewer, Some Pentecost Thoughts _______________________ He Lives In Me Right Now! Norman Neaves some years ago told about a teacher asking the students in her fourth grade class to name the person they considered the greatest person alive in the world today. Their responses were varied and interesting. One little boy said, “I think it’s Joe Montana because he led the 49ers to all those Super Bowl wins.” A little girl said, George Bush… and still another named Oprah… and on and on it went with the students mentioning a wide variety or celebrities. But then it was little Donnie’s turn. Without hesitation Donnie said, “I think it’s Jesus Christ because He loves everybody and is always ready to help them.” Mrs. Thompson smiled and said, “Well, I certainly like your answer, Donnie, because I’m a Christian too… and I also admire Jesus very much. But there’s one slight problem. I said the greatest living person… and of course, Jesus lived and died almost two thousand years ago. Do you have another name in mind?” I love the simple, innocent, confident, wide-eyed response of little Donnie. He said, “Oh no, Mrs. Thompson, that’s not right at all. Jesus Christ is alive! He lives in me right now!” That’s the good news of our faith and the message of Pentecost… God is with us right now working from the inside out, giving us the Breath of Life, the Fire Power of Commitment… and the Peace That Passes All Understanding. James W. Moore, What Do You Do With Such A Gift? ____________________________ Why Do Things Hold Together? The late Harvard mathematician and philosopher, Alfred North Whitehead, maintained that the whole scientific enterprise of the western world rested upon the belief that at the bottom of things science would find order rather than chaos. If animists were afraid to probe a world enchanted with demons and spirits, western scientists dissected, investigated, explored and probed into the depths of the atom believing order and organization would be found rather than disorder and disarray. "What was at the bottom of this conviction?" asked Whitehead. It was the theological concept of the Logos, the Word or Reason or Mind of God, which held everything together. Why do things cohere and hold together? It is because the Mind or Logos, or the Spirit of God, holds them together. Maurice A. Fetty, The Divine Advocacy, CSS Publishing Company _________________________ Consecrate that Trumpet to God While preaching a revival in Florida, a man told me that, as a young man, he had played with Artie Shaw's band. His father had been a concert pianist, but neither of them knew the first thing about Christian music. One day the young man was invited by a friend to play his trumpet at a huge Billy Sunday evangelistic crusade. He did it, and then, at the close of the service, as he stood there watching Billy Sunday pray with those who had responded to the call, the great evangelist looked up, saw him, came over to him, and said, "Young man, have you consecrated that trumpet to God?" "I had no idea what he was talking about -- consecrate. So when I shook my head, Billy Sunday took me to an old wooden folding chair, laid my trumpet on it, put his hands -- one on the horn and the other on my shoulder -- and prayed and gave us both to God." Then the man continued, "And you know, Barbara, it made a difference. It made a difference the way I played that trumpet and it made a difference in me!" The Holy Spirit does make a difference. He makes a big difference! Let him fill you today. Drink deeply of this Divine New Wine. There is no telling what he will do for you, with you, and through you!" Grapes of Wrath Or Grace, Barbara Brokhoff, CSS Publishing Company _________________________ The Ability to Hear Communication, an ability to hear, to know what other people "are getting at" and "where they're coming from," has got to be one of the chief characteristics of the effective pastor. I want to be a good communicator, a skillful preacher. Yet before that, I know that I must be a good listener. As someone has said, "A preacher must listen for six days a week -- listening to God and to the hopes, fears, and aspirations of the congregation -- for the right to speak one day a week." I agree. Yet our modern world has also shown us how difficult, how very, very difficult, it is to hear. A number of years ago, Deborah Tannen, wrote, Why I Can't Hear You. It was a book about the difficulty of communication between women and men. Men and women speak different languages, says Tannen. When men are trying to say, "I need you to help me," they say it in ways which women can't hear. Likewise, when women say, "Give me some space; I need to be more independent for awhile," men get the message all messed up and hear something else. Add to this gender-gap, the gaps in our communication due to differences in economics, education, race and class, what hope is there for us ever to understand one another? The story we have read today, the story of Pentecost, is a story about hearing. Remember the Genesis story of the Tower of Babel, that time when the original "one language and few words" of humanity was disrupted forever by the profusion of languages and speech? Some believe that this Pentecost story is meant to signify a gracious reversal of Babel. William Willimon, How Can I Hear You? _________________________ In Touch with the Spirit Those who say that meditation is an escape from reality obviously have no experience of it. Because if they had this experience they would know that meditation makes us face honestly the reality that is at our own core and it gives us insight into the core of that reality. This, I think, is another way of saying that it puts us in touch with the Spirit. In a sense, then, each time we put on our spiritual snorkels and set out to meditate we are celebrating Pentecost, the presence of the Holy Spirit in our midst. Fr. Gerry Pierse _________________________ What's Our Purpose? If we are to reach people for Christ we need people with passion and power. But we also need people with a purpose. In the late 1800’s, no business matched the financial and political dominance of the railroad. Trains dominated the transportation industry of the United States, moving both people and goods throughout the country. Then a new discovery came along—the car—and incredibly, the leaders of the railroad industry did not take advantage of their unique position to participate in this transportation development. The automotive revolution was happening all around them, and they did not use their industry dominance to take hold of the opportunity. In his video tape The Search for Excellence, Tom Peters points out the reason: The railroad barons did not understand what business they were in. Peter observes that "they thought they were in the train business. But, they were in fact in the transportation business. Time passed them by, as did opportunity. They couldn’t see what their real purpose was." If the railroad barons at the turn of the century had understood that they were in the transportation business and not the train business we would all be driving a Gould and not a Ford. The same thing happened in the watch and clock industry. The Swiss had dominated time keeping. They controlled 90% of all revenues made in their industry. They made the most precise gears and springs in the world. Their watches and clocks were perfect. Then something new happened called the Quartz movement—LCD readout. Guess who invented it. A Swiss man. But because it had no gears or knobs or springs it was rejected. They failed to recognize that they were in the business of helping people tell time not making precision gears. They lost their dominance in the industry. They now control 20% of all revenue. Seiko is the dominant leader. "If Sports Illustrated magazine understood it was in the sports information business, not the publishing business, we would have the Sports Illustrated Channel, not ESPN." And folks, if we in the Methodist Church, forget that our purpose is making disciples for Jesus Christ we will also become obsolete. If we loose our focus and get distracted by tradition, habit, custom, ritual, routine, we will go the way of the trains, the Swiss, and Sports Illustrated. We must remember our basic identity. We must—whenever, however, wherever—fulfill our basic purpose. I want to be part of a church whose soul purpose is to win people to Jesus Christ. I want to be part of a church that is empowered by the Holy Spirit. A church that is going out into the streets with spiritual power and the authority. The Holy Spirit compels us to go. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com _________________________ Living Unaware of Our Vast Fortune Come with me into West Texas during the Depression. Mr. Ira Yates was like many other ranchers and farmers. He had a lot of land, and a lot of debt. Mr. Yates wasn't able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch. With little money for clothes or food, his family (like many others) had to live on a government subsidy. Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over those rolling West Texas hills, he was no doubt greatly troubled about how he would pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract. At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, 30 years after the discovery, a government test of one of the wells showed it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day. And Mr. Yates owned it all. The day he purchased the land he had received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he'd been living on relief. A multimillionaire living in poverty. The problem? He didn't know the oil was there even though he owned it. It is fair to say that you and I are a lot like Mr. Yates at times. We are heirs of a vast treasure and yet we live in spiritual poverty. We are entitled to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and his energizing power, and yet we live unaware of our birthright. We gather today to remember how rich we are. Dan Rondeau, Come, Holy Spirit KITES FOR PENTECOST by Marcus Benjamin It certainly had taken a lot of activity to get the service off the ground. For the two Sundays before, fifteen adults and some fifty children had spent several hours making kites. The kites, which were of thick white paper, had painted on them the symbols of Pentecost- the dove, the wind and the flames of fire. These indeed made the kites very colourful. The pre-schoolers’ kites were made from cardboard with colourful plastic tails. Imagine everyone’s surprise when they found after the service that all the kites in fact flew very well!Why kites? We felt that, apart from the visual symbols of Pentecost which were painted on them, the kites also gave us an excellent theme. Gwen Benjamin drew from the children the thought that a kite was earthbound until it was lifted by the wind. We realised that kites can’t fly unless they are let free to roam in the sky We learned also that kites have no direction and no power except that of the wind. Another interesting feature of our kites was that the wooden base which forms the frame was in the form of a cross. Here then was ample symbolism for a memorable service. Kites symbolize freedom, ambition, and a spiritual connection between heaven and earth. Because they soar upward, they represent the human desire to reach new heights and transcend earthly limitations. gravitybali.com +3 Universal Meanings • Freedom & Liberation: The ability to float untethered (or controlled from the ground) represents boundless freedom and the carefree nature of childhood. • Spiritual Bridge: Their upward flight serves as a metaphor for sending prayers to the divine, communicating with ancestors, and holding onto spiritual hope. • Ambition & Success: The rising of a kite is an arrow pointing upward, symbolizing career progress, rising above adversity, and chasing dreams. gravitybali.com +4 Cultural Significance • China: The birthplace of kites views them as symbols of good luck and longevity. In traditional practices, such as the Qingming Festival, people fly kites and deliberately cut the string to let the kite drift away, symbolizing the release of the previous year's unhappiness. • Bali: Kite flying is a sacred, religious custom meant to thank the gods for bountiful harvests and maintain cosmic balance. • Bermuda: Flying kites on Good Friday is a cultural tradition meant to represent the Ascension of Christ. • Philosophy/Metaphor: A kite teaches the value of patience and "reading the wind"—knowing when to push forward and when to let things unfold naturally. For Christians, Pentecost is the celebration where we remember the day the Holy Spirit was sent to the disciples. These were some of the last words Jesus spoke to his disciples, just before he ascended to heaven. He leaves them with this promise, "you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit". And that is exactly what happened at Pentecost. The disciples were gathered together when suddenly a powerful wind, like nothing they had seen or heard before, came rushing through the room. Then, even stranger than that, fire suddenly appeared in the room and separated so that a tongue of fire came to rest on each persons head. To remind us of the Holy Spirit moving around us, create the Pentecost Kite. My friend has held numerous jobs and ministries, all of them fruitful and interesting, and she is clearly energized by her current position as communications director for a ministry that raises awareness of people groups around the world, often called “unreached,” who have no exposure to the Gospel. I’ve been evaluating my own life in the light of the contrast between arrow and kite. In some areas of my life, I was like an arrow. In other areas, like a kite. With so many unknowns at present, the kite picture is really helpful. All of us need to nurture the confidence that Jesus has the kite string well in hand. And all of us need to flex with the wind of the Holy Spirit. Verbal pictures and images are metaphors, a Greek word meaning transport, where the meaning from one word is transported onto another word or concept. In the Bible, many pictures, or metaphors, are used to describe God. In the Psalms, God is compared to a shepherd, rock, refuge, sun, shield, and many other concrete, real-life items. In the Gospels, Jesus calls himself the bread of life, the light of the world, the door of the sheep, the good shepherd, and the true vine. Each of these pictures sketched in words has brought comfort, joy and challenge to believers for centuries. I’m also interested in metaphors that describe us, the people of God. My new favorite metaphor for Christians is a kite anchored in Jesus’ hands and shifting in the wind of the Holy Spirit.

Getting in touch with the Spirit

June 8, 2025 Pentecost Sunday Acts 2: 1-21 Getting in Touch with the Spirit Year C Prelude Greetings Call to Worship (Inspired by Acts 2:1 and Psalm 104) One:.When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Many: We join for worship online and onsight, in real time and sometimes days later, and yet, One: The Holy One sends forth the Spirit. Many: Who unites us, connects us, and forms us as a community. One: We were created in spirit and in truth, wonderfully and fearfully, in the image of Holy Love. Many: God renews the face of the earth and the cosmos, this faith community and the church. One: May the glory of God the Fire endure forever! Many: Bless the Holy One, oh my soul. Praise God! (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Invocation Spirit of Unity, you knit us together with all of our connections and distinctions. You make us one and yet unique. We gather to hear your voice and to attune ourselves to the language of the other, to celebrate the diversity of your creation and to immerse ourselves in compassionate care, to give you glory and to recognize the gift of community. May our hearts be opened and our lips declare your praise. Inhabit our worship with your abiding presence and inflame us with your love. Amen. (United Church of Christ Worship Ways, Cheryl Lindsay) Song I’m Going to Sing when the Spirit says Sing UMH 333 Pentecost Litany (do not print the litany) Reader 1: From the very instant of creation, your Holy Spirit moved on the waters of creation, bringing to life the creative love that is God. Reader 2: Even when the people were forgetful and stubborn, your Holy Spirit called to them to be unafraid, to follow. It led them through the desert to a land of sweet dwelling. Reader 1: During all the times of fear and tumult, you sang the song of hope through the prophets, who called people back to you with tender forgiveness. Reader 2: On a dark winter night you sang your sweetest song and birthed a Savior who came to being us life and witness to your love and power. Reader 1: At the lakeshore you called to the simple people, the fishermen, to come and follow you. They witnessed your miracles of healing and forgiving love. Reader 2: When the night seemed to be the darkest, even though it was mid-day - you gave your Son to be a witness to your love. From his cross He forgave those who crucified Him and reminded a thief that paradise would be his home. Reader 1: On the early morning, the women were startled with the news of His resurrection. Could it be that all he had said was true? Reader 2: The disciples hid in fear of what others might say, think or do. They were astonished at his presence to them. Reader 1: Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness, help us to dream dreams and see visions of all that is possible for the healing and hope for this world. Reader 2: Help us cross lines which divide and unite to proclaim boldly that you are the Spirit of Absolute Love and Peace. Emblazon our spirits. Make bold our voices. Give joy to our hearts, for we have been called to be witnesses, even to the ends of the world. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) A Sermon for all Ages The bible says that God is a spirit, and that we can’t never see the face of God. But we can look all around and see evidence that the spirit of God is among us. Our story says that we can hear the spirit in the wind, we can see the spirit in the fire, we can tell that the spirit is alive and well all around us. But the best place to look for the spirit is inside of each of us. If God is around in our lives, you can look at our lives and tell that the spirit is alive and well – through how we live and the things that we do. Today is a special day – Pentecost – the day we acknowledge the presence of the spirit amongst us. One of the ways that we can see God’s spirit is in the baptism of our young people. Today we have a baptism….. Baptism Scripture Acts 2:1-21 Sermon Getting in touch with the Spirit A church going family took a little girl who was visiting with them to church one Sunday. This girl had never been to church in her life but seemed to enjoy the experience. When they returned home and were eating lunch, they asked the girl what she thought about the experience. She said she liked it, but she was confused about one thing. She asked why the Whole West Coast wasn't included. Nobody in the family knew what she was talking about. So, she explained, "The man in the front kept talking about the Father, Son and Whole-East-Coast." (1) Pentecost is the celebration of the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Spirit. Jesus has been promising that the spirit would come to support us. He said that he needed to step out of the way, so that the spirit could step in. Pentecost is the last day of the Easter season, and it is also celebrated as the beginning of the church. Carla Gorrell, Looks Like a Conspiracy ___________________________ Pentecost literally means 50 days after Easter or Passover. It is the end of spring and the beginning of summer. Originally it marked the end of the wheat harvest. This is a good time to switch gears. The disciples were in Jerusalem for Pentecost when the spirit arrived and they were able to see how people from all over the world were affected by the coming of the spirit. People were able to understand God speaking to them in many languages. They received confidence to go out and preach the gospel. The spirit has been working in the world every since, and none of us have ever been the same. Deuteronomy 28 makes promises that those who obey God will receive 7 blessings in life. The 7 blessings of Pentecost, a term often used in Christian theology, generally refer to a set of seven supernatural blessings that are released during the Feast of Pentecost, a season of celebration and renewal. These blessings are typically understood as God's favor and provision upon His people, addressing various aspects of human need. While specific lists and interpretations vary, common themes include: power, peace, protection, presence of the Spirit, prosperity, provision, and perfection. Here's a more detailed breakdown of the concept: • Power: This refers to the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to overcome obstacles and accomplish God's will. • Peace: This signifies inner tranquility and assurance, even amidst life's challenges. • Protection: This blessing relates to God's protective care for believers and their families, shielding them from harm and evil. • Presence: This speaks to the closeness and intimate connection believers have with God, receiving wisdom and strength from His presence. • Provision: This blessing refers to God's provision for all needs, including financial, material, and spiritual resources. • Perfection: This refers to the transformative work of the Holy Spirit, molding believers into the image of Christ. • Prosperity: This signifies God's favor and abundance in various areas of life. The disciples saw all of those blessings at work in the people who were willing to follow God in the spirit of Christ. During Jesus ministry he spent six months teaching, talking about the spirit and God’s intention for the world. The disciples spent the next six months learning to live in those lessons. Today, we relive that rhythm. Six months hearing God’s word and God’s intention, and six months putting those lessons into action. Pentecost is the halfway point telling us to switch directions. The good news is that the blessings of the spirit are available to all of us – young or old, long time member or first time visitor. God’s power is there for all of us, we just have to be ready to use it. This is a good day to ask ourselves if we are ready to live in God’s power. The power of God is all around us, are we ready to live in it, and to make the world that we dreamed about a reality? Do we really want to pray always, do we really like disruptions, can we endure being scorned by society, do we want to leave our comfort zones, do we want to be with everyone? Do we want God to change us, what is our response to Pentecost? The Keys to the Car There are transitional moments in life that confirm something tremendous has taken place. One of those moments occurs in a teenager's life and in lives of the parents of that particular teenager, when a mom or a dad gives to him or her the keys to the car for the first time for a solo run. What a transitional moment this is! Many of us have already experienced this. Some of you still have to experience it in life, but, I guarantee you, it's going to happen. It's going to be a step of growth for you. It's a time when you release to your child into an adult world. It's a change in your son or daughter's life from which they are never going to turn back. It's a moment in which you are giving your child an adult responsibility. It is a transitional moment for the child also because the teenager recognizes that he has been given a great responsibility. It's an adult responsibility. He also realizes that this is something that he needs to take care with because great trust has been put in him. Teenagers need to prove to their parents that the validity of their faith in them is correct. In the Scripture for today, Jesus does something very similar for His followers. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, so send I you." Jesus is tossing the keys to the kingdom to His disciples. He is demonstrating that He is accepting them as His followers but He is also demonstrating to them that He is entrusting to them the message of the gospel. He gives to them a great privilege. He is showing them that He believes in them. Don Walker, Commissioned to a New Ministry In Luke’s story the spirit came into the world like a powerful wind. In the book of John, the spirit came like a quiet spirit. Whether loud or quiet, there are many ways to tell that the Pentecost spirit is alive and well today. Some Pentecost Thoughts As I see it, the Holy Spirit is graciously and unobtrusively busy all over the place. The quiet Helper. The unpretentious Friend. The Helper is quietly at work: in the sincere concern of a friend for our health, in those who take a stand against injustice, in the grace of folk who go the second mile, in the inner resources we discover in times of crisis, in those who dare to go against the tide of popular opinion, in the grace that enables us to admit when we are wrong, in the resilience of people who fight for the rights of others, in those who surrender some of their rights for the larger good, in times when we share the Gospel in spite of our inadequacy, in finding joy in unexpected places, in taking on responsibilities that we once thought beyond us, in refusing to let the greed of society take over our soul, in giving thanks always, even through the hard times of life, in rising above past failures and putting past hurts behind us. in finding a central core of peace in the midst of turmoil, in daring to laugh in situations where some would curse, in knowing ourselves to be children of God, in knowing ourselves loved, even when we have been very unlovable. Bruce D. Prewer, Some Pentecost Thoughts The best place to look for the spirit is always inside of our own hearts. God Works from the Inside Out - Acts 2:1-13 A little girl was visiting her grandmother one beautiful spring morning. They walked out into grandmother’s flower garden. As grandmother was inspecting the progress of her flowers the little girl decided to try to open a rosebud with her own two hands. But no luck! As she would pull the petals open, they would tear or bruise or wilt or break off completely. Finally, in frustration, she said, “Gramma, I just don’t understand it at all. When God opens a flower, it looks so beautiful but when I try, it just comes apart.” “Well, honey,” Grandmother answered, “There’s a good reason for that. God is able to do it because He works from the inside out!” God Works From the Inside Out. That is the great message of Pentecost Sunday, isn’t it? This is what the disciples finally came to understand at Pentecost. Jesus had ascended into heaven. And He had told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Holy Spirit. Here is where the story of Pentecost picks up. The disciples are back in the Upper Room waiting and wondering and some of them were probably grumbling impatiently and nervously. What in the world are we doing here? All this waiting around is driving me up the wall! There’s no use. He’s gone and without Him, we are nothing. It’s over! We’d just as well face it. What is this Holy Spirit business anyway? Maybe we misunderstood Him. Just then they heard a sound. The breath of God began to blow on that place like the rush of a mighty wind. Images of fire danced around them. Suddenly, their fear was gone, replaced by peace and confidence, courage and strength and unity and they began to speak and communicate the word of God boldly and amazingly people from all different backgrounds heard and responded and 3,000 people were converted that day. It’s interesting to note that the three classic symbols for the Holy Spirit in the Bible remind us of how God works through us and how God works from the inside out. Do you remember what they are? The three traditional symbols of the Holy Spirit in the Bible: Breath: the symbol of Life. Fire: the symbol of Power. The descending dove: the symbol of Peace. Let’s take a look at these one at a time.... • Without Pentecost, we’d just be people who tell Jesus’ story. With Pentecost, we’re people who live into Jesus’ story” (Danielle Shroyer, The Hardest Question blog) • Consecrate that Trumpet to God • While preaching a revival in Florida, a man told me that, as a young man, he had played with Artie Shaw's band. His father had been a concert pianist, but neither of them knew the first thing about Christian music. One day the young man was invited by a friend to play his trumpet at a huge Billy Sunday evangelistic crusade. He did it, and then, at the close of the service, as he stood there watching Billy Sunday pray with those who had responded to the call, the great evangelist looked up, saw him, came over to him, and said, "Young man, have you consecrated that trumpet to God?" "I had no idea what he was talking about -- consecrate. So when I shook my head, Billy Sunday took me to an old wooden folding chair, laid my trumpet on it, put his hands -- one on the horn and the other on my shoulder -- and prayed and gave us both to God." Then the man continued, "And you know, Barbara, it made a difference. It made a difference the way I played that trumpet and it made a difference in me!" The Holy Spirit does make a difference. He makes a big difference! Let him fill you today. Drink deeply of this Divine New Wine. There is no telling what he will do for you, with you, and through you!" • Grapes of Wrath Or Grace, Barbara Brokhoff, CSS Publishing Company Whatever you do, do it to the glory of God! Let’s pray…… Song Spirit of the Living God UMH 393 Pastoral Prayer We would like to settle into a nice, comfortable routine, Lord, in which we don’t have to do much of anything, just sit back and relax. We are tired and wonder if we have anything left to give of our talents, our spirits, our lives. So the story of the disciples hiding in the upper room is not uncomfortable for us. We want to hide, too. But you have come to us in your resurrection love - we have seen the prints of the nails in your hands and feet, we have felt the wound in your side. We have been with you on the seashore, but we still quiver with fear and uncertainty. Send your Holy Spirit upon us today! Let the rushing wind of your spirit, stir us up to action for good and healing. Let the flame of your power ignite our hearts with passion for justice and peace. As we have brought names of people to prayer this day asking for healing mercies, may we also add our names, asking for empowerment and renewal of our spirits. Take us and use our gifts and our talents for healing in your world. Help us to be bold in our proclamation of your great Good News of love and hope. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Lord’s Prayer Stewardship Moment It’s all about layers. God breathing life into dust. Moses leading people out of slavery into freedom. Hagar calling on God to remember God’s covenant. Layer after layer. Mary saying yes. Jesus breaking bread. Young people seeing visions. Elders dreaming dreams. Our ancestors building a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. Going above and beyond church as it’s always been. Beyond borders and barriers. Beyond us and them. Building layers of community and color, spirituality and vision, justice and joy. Proclaiming the good news that Spirit is still breathing new life and breaking new bread. God’s people are still seeing visions and dreaming dreams. You’re invited to add your layer today as we receive our offering, for this congregation, and our special Pentecost offering to aid in building new congregations. With joy-filled hearts, let us bring our gifts, our tithes and our offerings. Prayer of Thanksgiving Giver of Life, receive all we offer you today. May the Spirit you poured out at Pentecost continue to work in the world through these gifts, transforming them from check and coin into acts of life-enhancing service. Breathe once more into each of us, inspiring us to offer not only our finances, but also our lives, in gratitude for the ways you fill us. AMEN (Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook May God, who gives us a spirit of adoption, bless you today, carrying you on the winds of the Spirit into the world to share the love, grace, and family that have been so lavishly given to each and every one of us. Amen. Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, October 2024. Community Time - Joys and Concerns Benediction Awesome Spirit! You have inspired us this day to be witnesses to God’s love and power. Help us to be joyful in our service and strong in our faith for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now we go in peace, with God’s peace in our hearts. AMEN. (United Methodist Ministry Matters, Nancy Townley) Additional Illustrations You Are in the Spirit It’s like the story of the shark and the whale. Both were swimming in the sea when the shark swam up to the whale to engage in conversation. As they swam along, the shark said to the whale, “You are so much older than I, and wiser too. Could you tell me where the ocean is?” The whale responded, “The ocean is what you are in now.” The shark would not believe it. “Come on, tell me where the ocean is so I may find it!” The whale repeated, “The ocean is here, now; you are in it.” Unbelieving, the shark swam away searching for the ocean. The moral of the story, I believe, is this: don’t spend too much time looking for God because the Spirit of God is here in the now of your life, dwelling within you, within me, within this community. And that truth is nurtured in prayer. Susan M. Fleenor, The Indwelling Spirit of Pentecost What Churches Need “What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost can use—men of prayer, men mighty in prayer.”—E.M. Bounds √ The End Is the Beginning The end of the gospel of John always sends us back to the beginning. Every ending always implies the beginning of something new. On December 31st, the last day of the year, we celebrate the beginning of the New Year. Pregnancy ends with the delivery of a baby, and a new life begins—for both the parents and the baby. When you finish High School, you enter a new world of college or work. Jesus’ death on the cross was an ending, but it was also a beginning. _________________________ The Ability to Hear Communication, an ability to hear, to know what other people "are getting at" and "where they're coming from," has got to be one of the chief characteristics of the effective pastor. I want to be a good communicator, a skillful preacher. Yet before that, I know that I must be a good listener. As someone has said, "A preacher must listen for six days a week -- listening to God and to the hopes, fears, and aspirations of the congregation -- for the right to speak one day a week." I agree. Yet our modern world has also shown us how difficult, how very, very difficult, it is to hear. A number of years ago, Deborah Tannen, wrote, Why I Can't Hear You. It was a book about the difficulty of communication between women and men. Men and women speak different languages, says Tannen. When men are trying to say, "I need you to help me," they say it in ways which women can't hear. Likewise, when women say, "Give me some space; I need to be more independent for awhile," men get the message all messed up and hear something else. Add to this gender-gap, the gaps in our communication due to differences in economics, education, race and class, what hope is there for us ever to understand one another? The story we have read today, the story of Pentecost, is a story about hearing. Remember the Genesis story of the Tower of Babel, that time when the original "one language and few words" of humanity was disrupted forever by the profusion of languages and speech? Some believe that this Pentecost story is meant to signify a gracious reversal of Babel. William Willimon, How Can I Hear You? Sermon Opener or Ender for Pentecost Welcome to Pentecost in the Year 2008! It is a time to open up to the mind-blowing, heart-warming, life-changing power of God. The power of God can invade the body, inflate the mind, swell the soul, lift the Spirit and make us more than we ever imagined. It'll make you young when you're old, and it'll make you live even when you die. The power and presence of the Spirit will disturb, delight, deliver and lift. When God sends forth the Spirit, "the whole face of the earth is renewed." When God sends forth the Spirit chaos is changed into creation the Red Sea opens up to a highway of freedom. When God sends forth the Spirit: A young woman says "Yes". Jesus is born and life is never the same. When God sends forth the Spirit amazing things happen: [Ask the congregation to join you by repeating the following] barriers are broken, communities are formed, opposites are reconciled, unity is established, disease is cured, addiction is broken, cities are renewed, races are reconciled, hope is established, people are blessed, and church happens. Today the Spirit of God is present and we're gonna’ have church. So be ready, get ready...God is up to something... [Read these yourself with no response] discouraged folks cheer up, dishonest folks 'fees up, sour folks sweeten up, closed folk, open up, gossipers shut up, conflicted folks make up, sleeping folks wake up, lukewarm folk, fire up, dry bones shake up, and pew potatoes stand up! But most of all, Christ the Savior of all the world is lifted up... Rick Kirchoff, Germantown United Methodist Church, Opening remarks to the 2000 Memphis Annual Conference. _____________________ A New Way of Seeing We are too often stuck in seeing the world in only one way and forget that we can be led to different viewings. A wealthy oil baron once commissioned Picasso to paint a portrait of his wife. When the work was completed, the baron was shocked to see the image that had been created. "Why that looks nothing like my wife! You should have painted her the way she really is!" Picasso took a deep breath and said, "I'm not sure what that would be." Without hesitation, the oil baron pulled out his wallet and removed a photograph of his wife saying, "There, you see, this is a picture of how she really is! Picasso, bending over, looked at it and replied, "She is rather small and flat, isn't she?" The point is clear: The man was so wrapped up in HIS view of his wife he could not understand anyone else's view of her. On the day of Pentecost there were many Jews who understood, who saw Gods new view of the world through the eye of the Spirit but there were also many there who did not, who could not see the world around them in any other way than the way it had always been. Brett Blair, www.eSermons.com. Adapted from: Bradford Keeney, Everyday Soul, New York: Riverhead Books, 1996. Be Patient. The Spring Will Come. Robert Schuller tells of a winter at home, when his dad needed firewood. He found a dead tree and sawed it down. In the spring, to his dismay, he found new shoots had sprouted from the trunk. He said to his son, "I thought sure it was dead; the leaves had dropped, the twigs snapped, it seemed as if there was no life there. But now I see there is still life at the taproot of the old tree." He looked at his boy and said, "Bob, don't forget this important lesson. Never cut down a tree in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in a low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst mood. Wait. Be patient. The spring will come." And so, the disciples waited 24 hours, then another day, then a week, and now it has been 10 days, but still they waited - waited and prayed! R. Robert Cueni, Tenders of the Sacred Fire, CSS Publishing Company. __________________ • From the Lit Liturgy Podcast: “Christmas is stupid without Easter. Easter is pointless without Pentecost.” • If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: 3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country. Deuteronomy 28:1-3 The kingdom that we talked about for six months comes to fruition – six months of talking, six months of doing It has been 7 weeks since Jesus died 4 reasons for Pentecost – think what God thinks, feel what God feels, want what God wants, do what God does End of wheat festival

Are You Pentecostal?

May 31, 2020 Acts 2:1-13 Are you Pentecostal? Year A Pentecost Sunday Children’s Sermon Object: An uninflated red balloon. Lesson: Pentecost; Holy Spirit. "Did any of you notice anything unusual outside the sanctuary this morning?" "There were decorations ... streamers ... balloons!" These are the sorts of things near and dear to a child's heart, and indeed they had noticed. "My goodness!" I exclaim in mock surprise. "It sounds like someone has decorated for a party! Does anyone know why we would be having a party today?" This question stumps them, so I continue. "Today is a special day in the church. It is called 'Pentecost.' " To get them used to this word that even the older children have heard only a few times in their lives, I ask them to say it with me. "Pentecost ... So now you're probably wondering what Pentecost means. It's obvious from the decorations in the lobby that it must be an occasion for a party. Why do people have parties?" "To celebrate something!" "That's one reason. What sorts of things do you celebrate with a party?" "Graduation!" comes the firm response from a child with older siblings. "Yes. And the graduation of our seniors is one of the things we are celebrating in our church today. But what is another reason you have a party -- what is a reason every one of you has had a party or been to a party?" "Birthdays!" several children answer. "Yes, birthdays. And that's what Pentecost is; it's the birthday of the church. It comes from a Greek word that means the 'fiftieth day.' Pentecost falls fifty days after Easter and it is the day on which the Holy Spirit came to the first Christians. That was the beginning of the church, so on Pentecost, the fiftieth day after Easter, we celebrate the church's birthday. "Well, since we're going to have a birthday party after worship, maybe we need a balloon to add to our decorations." With this suggestion, I pull a balloon out of my pocket. "What does this balloon need?" I ask the children. "Air!" they tell me. "Ah yes, air. It's not much to look at all flat like this. It's lifeless, isn't it? You know, the Hebrew word ruach and the Greek word pneuma both have two meanings. Both of them can mean either 'wind' or 'spirit.' So, if I use my wind to blow into this balloon, it will be full of wind, but we could also think of it as full of spirit -- something more than itself that keeps it from being flat and lifeless. "I brought this balloon to help us understand what it meant when the Holy Spirit came to the first Christians. There was a great sound of wind and tongues of fire -- which is why I chose a red balloon and why our pastors have red stoles this morning. The Holy Spirit breathed spirit -- new life -- into that group of Christians and the church was born. Now, what if this balloon didn't have an opening in it for me to blow into?" "Then you couldn't blow any air in. It would stay flat," the children answer. "That's right. And just as this balloon needs an opening for air, we need to have an opening for the Holy Spirit to enter us. We create that openness by coming to worship, by praying, by being aware of God, by asking God to fill us with the Holy Spirit. And, filled with the Spirit, we have new life because it makes us live differently. It's like t he difference between a flat, lifeless balloon and one filled up for celebration. "Will you pray with me before you go? God, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit which connects us to you and fills us with your love just as surely as we are able to fill balloons with our wind. We praise you, God, and offer our thanksgiving for the gift of the church on this day of Pentecost. In Jesus' name we lift our prayer to you. Amen." CSS Publishing Company, Inc, Cows In Church, by B. Kathleen Fannin Opening Opening Prayer Spirit of God, we long to be open to your presence in our church and in our lives. Fill us with your wind and fire, that we might be enlivened again. Help us hear the words as if for the first time, that they might touch us anew. Give us visions and dreams of what you long for in your creation, that we might begin to live them into reality. Come, Spirit; come into our worship, into our church Alone together The paradox of Pentecost 2020 is that we’re giving up our together time because we recognize our connectedness. Yes, we're apart. But because of the presence of the Holy Spirit, we are not alone. Pentecost reminds us of our connection to God and one another. Acts 2:47 tells us that the first church “praised God and demonstrated God’s goodness to everyone.” Online worship and social distancing are a couple of ways we are following their example today. Pentecost 2020 reminds us of how good it is when we are “all together in one place.” It also highlights that even when being together isn't possible, the Holy Spirit overcomes barriers like language and social distance to connect us with one another. While we’re apart, we continue to be the church for one another, because the Holy Spirit is with us wherever we are. Stewardship Moment Pentecost is a turning point in the year and the faith. Time of fulfillment – have everything we need to be faithful people. Jesus returns to heaven always says – you are never alone. I am always with you. But instead of looking to me, you can move forward. You have the power to change your situation and the worlds situation. Look at the news, powerless – what can we do? How can we make a difference. By living our faith. Prayer, being generous and spreading God’s love. One way to make a difference is in giving to the mission of the church to make disciples and to become disciples. Give to the church in many ways – one way that we are united, and able to make a different. Invitation to offering Offertory Prayer Holy God, thank you for sending your Spirit, the Spirit of the risen Christ, from heaven. Help us to be like the early disciples, praying patiently as we wait for your guidance and power. Fill our hearts and minds with your gifts of faith, hope, and love. May our conversations with people of every language and culture around us witness to your grace and mercy. We dedicate ourselves and our offerings to your good purposes in the world through our church’s mission by the power of your Spirit. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen. (Acts 2:1-21) Scripture Acts 2:1-13 Common English Bible (CEB) Pentecost 2 When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak. 5 There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered. They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages. 7 They were surprised and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them? 8 How then can each of us hear them speaking in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; as well as residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya bordering Cyrene; and visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own languages!” 12 They were all surprised and bewildered. Some asked each other, “What does this mean?” 13 Others jeered at them, saying, “They’re full of new wine!” Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible Sermon Are you Pentecostal? The well known author and preacher Fred Craddock tells a rather funny story about a lecture he was giving: A few years ago, when he was on the west coast speaking at a seminary, just before the first lecture, one of the students stood up and said, "Before you speak, I need to know if you are Pentecostal." Thoom grew silent. Craddock said he looked around for the Dean of the seminary! He was nowhere to be found. The student continued with his quiz right in front of everybody. Craddock was taken aback, and so he said, "Do you mean do I belong to the Pentecostal Church?" He said, "No, I mean are you Pentecostal?" Craddock said, "Are you asking me if I am charismatic?" the student said, "I am asking you if you are Pentecostal." Craddock said, "Do you want to know if I speak in tongues?" He said, "I want to know if you are Pentecostal." Craddock said, "I don't know what your question is." The student said, "Obviously, you are not Pentecostal." He left. What are we talking about this morning? Is the church supposed to use the word Pentecost only as a noun or can it be used as an adjective? And so I ask you: Are you Pentecostal?... What does it mean to be a Pentecostal? Depends on who you ask. But today is a big day for the church, no matter what denomination. Pentecost The world celebrates Christmas with us, and even celebrate easter, but Pentecost is only for those who are true Christians. And jewish. Last week one of our children asked what does Pentecost mean anyway. Pentecost means 50 – 50 days for us after easter, but for the jews its 50 days after Passover. They are celebrating the first harvest of the season. For the jews the celebrations is from the 26-28th. This is the celebration that the apostles witnessed in the bible. Jews from all over the world were gathered in Jerusalem. And of course, they bought their customs and their languages with them. But as they came together , speaking in their own languages. it seemed that everyone could understand one another. It is important for us to remember, that different people read and interpret and find importance on different parts of the bible. For some the holy spirit was present in the fact that they were speaking in different languages. For others it was that they were understood. Difference in theology I remember my aunt used to always tell me to make sure that when I was baptized- that I was baptized in Jesus name as it stated in acts. But was baptized in Baptist church which uses the gospels, which says be baptized in the name of the father, son, and holy spirit. But today want to talk about the presence of the holy spirit in our ability to understand, in spite of our differences. Our ability to be one body – with different opinions as proof that the holy spirit is here. Church on fire Pentecost is the day that the church was on fire. I remember growing up in Peoria, on sixth street. One of the biggest events of the day – the day the Baptist church down the street caught on fire. The whole neighborhood came to watch. When had to go back in the house, people stopped by to give reports. Two persons were talking together before a large church which was being destroyed by fire. The first man spoke in a voice which could be heard above the voice of the firemen: "This is the first time I ever saw you at church." To this the second responded: "This is the first time I ever saw the church on fire." There are many prophets of doom saying that the age of the Christian Church is over - that it has lost its zeal! We're taking a beating right now in this country and around the world. Our theology is being questioned. Everyone is writing a critical book against the organized church. We have had to take some unpopular r stands on social issues. Magazines are attacking the ministry, and it isn't the thing to do anymore to join the church. John Kelman said, however, "God pity the nation or city whose factory smokestacks rise higher than her church spires." The church can be on fire in may different ways. Way we sing, way the pastor preaches, what we do, in how we hope. We can be Pentecostal in who we are – but also in how we do it. In how we wait in God, but also depend on God. We handle our differences. Five promises of the spirit – comforter, teacher, bear witness to Jesus to the world, prove that sin was wrong, and guide the church. Promise of acts 2 – hold us together. Remember in Genesis 11 – all of the people got together and decided that they were going to build a giant tower to heaven. If they got together there is nothing they can accomplish. Sort of like the NATO summit. Remind them that the emphasis was on we and not on God. Planned everything to the detail and forgot to pray and leave room for God. The punishment was that they would all speak in different languages and head in different directions. We can all speak English and still not understand. Recently, a judicial friend was presiding over a case in a small, rural county. The defendant was charged with drunk driving and trying to assault the police officer who arrested him. To convict the defendant on the assault on an officer charge, the District Attorney had to proved that the defendant knew the person he was assaulting was a police officer. And the easiest way to do that is to show that the officer was wearing a police uniform, and therefore the defendant knew that this was a police officer. So the District Attorney asked the officer on the witness stand "And how were you attired when you pulled the defendant over?" The witness looked at him blankly. It was clear he didn't know what the District Attorney meant by "attired". Everyone saw this but the District Attorney. "Would you repeat the question, please?" In a slightly irritated voice the District Attorney said, "And how were you attired when you pulled the defendant over?" The witness still was puzzled. "Say that again", he pleaded. "How were you attired when you pulled the defendant over?" barked the District Attorney. My friend said you could suddenly see the light bulb come on in the officer's head, and he proudly proclaimed "I was traveling on standard issue radial tires!" This officer needed an interpreter even within the English language! That's what I'm getting at: We all need our own personal interpreter, full time, 24/7. So much of what we hear, even within the English language, we don't understand. And nowhere is that truth more evident than with people who are new to the church. The problem is not just in language, the problem is in our understanding. We can be in same family, same church, working on the same plan and still disagree. We are prone to misunderstanding. The good news is – that we don’t have to think alike, we have to think together. Know the holy spirit is with us. Understanding comes from god and not us. “How did you get saved.” He was asked. He replied, “God did his part and I did my part.” The man asked, “What was God’s part and what was your part.” The young man replied, “God’s part was saving and my part was sinning. I ran from Him as fast as I could, but He took after me till He ran me down.” When you see people coming to Christ, then you know that God is at work for only God can save souls. We have to let God do his part and we do are part. Our part is to be confused, and to learn to trust in God for understanding and agreement. Acts is a wonderful book to read, last day we read it in worship for awhile. Shows what it means to be Pentecostal. No matter what your denomination. Wait and witness on the holy spirit. Results may not be like to first formation of the church. We can convince people, but only the holy spirit can convict them to be followers of Jesus. You Are in the Spirit It’s like the story of the shark and the whale. Both were swimming in the sea when the shark swam up to the whale to engage in conversation. As they swam along, the shark said to the whale, “You are so much older than I, and wiser too. Could you tell me where the ocean is?” The whale responded, “The ocean is what you are in now.” The shark would not believe it. “Come on, tell me where the ocean is so I may find it!” The whale repeated, “The ocean is here, now; you are in it.” Unbelieving, the shark swam away searching for the ocean. The moral of the story, I believe, is this: don’t spend too much time looking for God because the Spirit of God is here in the now of your life, dwelling within you, within me, within this community. And that truth is nurtured in prayer. Pentecostal is a noun – who you are, verb – what you do, but is is also a adjective – how you do it. Witness and wait in the presence of the spirit. Amen. Pentecost Prayer Announcements Next week – trinity Sunday, first Sunday have all that we need to deal with the challenges of life. The father, the son, the holy spirit. 2 corinthians 13:11-13 Also Peace with Justice - during this shelter in place, the district clergy have been meeting weekly. This week the situation with George Floyd being killed started to unfold. Heartrfelt conversation about racism and how this continues to happen and how the church can address it. Of course things have escalated all over the nations since then. Continue to pray for healing for peace and for justice – a shalom that brings our nation to unity. We will look at that during our service next week. The state is starting to open back up, people are still getting back together. Churches have been given the go ahead to meet. Even though this is a fluid situation. I think the last I heard the supreme court overturned that decision, but I don’t know. The conference has been closely monitoring the situation. We want to open the church so that people can get back together. But we also want to do that safely. We want this to be a safe space for vulnerable populations. We have received the suggestions from the conference in reopening and and from the Illinois department of health. Been distributed To the church leaders and we will have a church council meeitg to discuss this. We will also give to everyone, if want a copy can pick it up. Also put a survey in the newsletter to see what needs to happen for you to feel safe. As we think about what needs to happen at our church we ask for your feedback and sugggestions. Wont look like it did before we met, measures will have to be taken. Worship service will even be a little different. But we will get through this together. Congratulations to all of those who are enperiencing those transition moments in quarantine, graduations, retirements, birthdays, life changes. Blessings in your life and feel gods spirit in many unexpected ways this year. Benediction Pentecost moments Control A wealthy family from Massachusetts used to take a month's vacation every summer to the coast of Maine, taking their maid with them. The maid had an annual ritual at the beach. She wore an old-fashioned bathing suit, complete with a little white hat, and carried enough paraphernalia to stock Wal-Mart. She would settle herself on the beach, cover every inch of her exposed flesh and journey down to the water's edge. There she would hesitate while taking deep breaths and working up her courage to enter the icy-cold water. Finally, she would daintily extend one foot and lower it slowly into the water until she barely had her big toe submerged. Then she repeated the act with the other foot. Then, having satisfied her minimal urge for a swim, she would retreat to her chair and umbrella and spend the remainder of the vacation curled around a book. I'm afraid that may be a parable of our Christian commitment. Are we afraid to give in to the Pentecost experience, fearful that we might lose control? That's what it is really all about, isn't it? Control. We want to be in control. Well, if Pentecost is to do nothing else, it should remind us that we are not in control, not even - or perhaps I should say especially - of ourselves. Randy L. Hyde, Time to Deliver The Church on Fire Two persons were talking together before a large church which was being destroyed by fire. The first man spoke in a voice which could be heard above the voice of the firemen: "This is the first time I ever saw you at church." To this the second responded: "This is the first time I ever saw the church on fire." There are many prophets of doom saying that the age of the Christian Church is over - that it has lost its zeal! We're taking a beating right now in this country and around the world. Our theology is being questioned. Everyone is writing a critical book against the organized church. We have had to take some unpopular stands on social issues. Magazines are attacking the ministry, and it isn't the thing to do anymore to join the church. John Kelman said, however, "God pity the nation or city whose factory smokestacks rise higher than her church spires." Why Belong To The Church?, anthology, CSS Publishing Company, Inc. Lost and Found Picture a little girl lost in a big city. There she sits, crying on the curb. A policeman finds her, puts her in his cruiser and drives her up and down the streets, hoping she'll recognize something familiar. Which, at last, she does. She sees a steeple with a cross on it. Tears vanish. Speech returns. "That's my church," she says. "I can find my way from here." You're not the only one, little girl. William A. Ritter, Collected Sermons, www.Sermons.com

Inspiration

May 24, 2015 Romans 8:22-27 Inspiration Pentecost Year B Today is a special holiday for the church, but we don’t have to share this day with the world like our other days. No one knows what Pentecost is, I am sure that not all Christians even know what Pentecost is. And how much does a Penta Cost anyway. I got you – a Penta is a flower, and home depot likes to put them on sale at this time of year. But seriously, Pentecost is simply the birthday celebration of the church. The day the church was born. Jesus had promised that he would send his spirit to guide and comfort us. And on Pentecost, the spirit arrived. Pentecost is the festival of the wheat harvest. Jews from all over the world gathered in Jerusalem. But this Pentecost they came to understand one another, even though they spoke different languages. There was a spirit of unity and communication. In the old testament when they gathered to build Babel, God sent them a spirit of confusion, lest they get too arrogant. But on Pentecost, God reversed that spirit. Even today, we don’t speak the same language. And even in the church, we don’t always agree with one another. Pentecost is not about uniformity, but harmony. In the midst of our differences, we can still put Christ first in our lives. Our unity comes from the power of God amongst us. There is no one of us that possesses the power of God alone. Clergy need laity and laity need clergy. The musicians work with the sermon, and the pastor works with the choir. We have to understand that our unity is a gift from God, equally bestowed. The purpose of the church is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to save souls. It is the Pentecost experience that gives us the power to do that. It is the churches birthday, because it is the day when we receive some very important gifts. But the gifts are not for us- they are through us- to be given to the world. Acts 2 quotes verses from the old testament book of Joel, where God says the I will pour out my spirit on all people. For Jesus, all people meant that there were no restrictions, no qualifications. All people meant all people. Whether it was the durg addict or the church mother, the young child or the middle ages woman, the sick or the healthy, the rich or the poor. God has a heart for all people, and God is doing whatever he can to save all people. The gifts of Pentecost are there for those who say that they are followers of Christ to have the power to bring salvation to any life and to any situation. Russ Blowers is a minister who is active in his local Indianapolis Rotary club. At club meetings each week a member gives a brief statement about his job. When it was his turn, Russ said: "I'm with a global enterprise. We have branches in every country in the world. We have our representatives in nearly every parliament and boardroom on earth. We're into motivation and behavior alteration. We run hospitals, feeding stations, crisis pregnancy centers, universities, publishing houses, and nursing homes. We care for our clients from birth to death. We are into life insurance and fire insurance. We perform spiritual heart transplants. Our original Organizer owns all the real estate on earth plus an assortment of galaxies and constellations. He knows everything and lives everywhere. Our product is free for the asking. (There's not enough money to buy it.) Our CEO was born in a hick town, worked as a carpenter, didn't own a home, was misunderstood by his family, hated by enemies, walked on water, was condemned to death without a trial, and arose from the dead--I talk with him everyday." The church is the most amazing organization in the world! Russ Blowers The gifts of Pentecost are unity, understanding, power, purpose and inspiration. But we have to remember that the source of each gift is God. There is a pertinent dialogue in the sixteenth chapter of Judges. Delilah says to Samson: “Please tell me wherein your great strength lies” (v. 6). After three unsuccessful attempts to discover the source of Samson’s strength, Delilah renews her efforts. Finally Samson succumbs and declares his power is in his hair. You remember the rest of the story. He not only lost his hair, but he lost his strength. When we consider Christian ministry of all believers, irrespective of station or training, we must inevitably ask, where does the strength come from? First and foremost, it comes from God! “God did not give us a spirit of timidity but a spirit of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim. 1:7). And it up to each one of us to remember – that the power in our life to truly be effective in ministry comes from our relationship with God. I asked us to wear red, orange or pink, today –because I wanted each of us to realize that the flame of Christ is personal. It is about us, our life, our faith journey. Each of us is a unique flame for Christ. We should be on fire for Christ, each in our own way. We get power through the ways we life out our faith. The representations of the holy spirit is a flame, but it is also a breath. Each and every one of us has a unique breath inside of us. Recently, I ordered this device called a spire. It measures my breathing all day long. Then it sends messages to my phone to tell me whether I am calm or tense. When it senses that I am tense, it sends a message that perhaps I should calm down and take a deep breath. Spire means to breathe. To inspire is to take a deep breath in. To conspire is to work closely with, to aspire is to hope for something better, even spirit comes from the root word spire – which is the power within each of us to live and love with God. The breath is God’s mark upon us that God has a plan for us. Even scripture says to let everything that has breath praise God. Breath, wind is an important symbol of the holy Spirit and of Pentecost. And I want to encourage each of us to use this Pentecost to look at our relationship with God and to be inspired to new life, a new mission, a renewed spirit. This Pentecost, be inspired to conspire with God and aspire to a renewed sense of mission. Let the power of God’s spirit flow through you, and have a use your gifts in order to bring salvation to God’s people. More than any other holiday in the church calendar – Pentecost is about the here and now. It is not about remembering a time in the past, it is not about what happened 2000 years ago, it is about what is happening now. Each and every year, we have to rekindle the Pentecost spirit inside of us. We have to look at what is going on inside of us and what it going on In the world. What is God calling each of us to do about it. Every Pentecost is different. Pentecost is not about what God has done for us, it is about what God is doing through us. The spirit has to be born anew, we have to be inspired anew. God says to each of us – I have given you my gifts, now I want to see what you are going to do with them. A young artist, who was studying under a great master, came one day to the studio to beg for permission to use his master's brush. The request was granted, and with a singing heart the young man went away to his own painting, thinking that now his work would be much better. A short while later he returned with the brush, complaining that he could do no better with it than he could with his own brush. An assistant in the studio, hearing the young man's complaint, said to him: "Friend, it is not the master's brush you need, but the master's devotion, the master's spirit."—Sunshine Magazine It is God’s spirit, but it is our life that makes the difference. God is saying that the future is so much better than the past. But I am depending on you to usher in the hope of the future. I am depending on you to do greater things than what is now in existence. One of the most theologically sophisticated screenplay’s ever written is the one written by Steve Koren, Mark O’Keefe, and Steve Oedekerk for the 2003 film “Bruce Almighty.” When things happen in Bruce’s life, Bruce blames God and finally declares defiantly that if there is a God, God is a bad God. God is bad at being God. In fact, Bruce says he could do God better than God does God. So God surprises Bruce and says, “Okay, go ahead. You show me how I can do God better. So now it’s “Bruce Almighty.” Here’s the conversation: God: “You have all my powers. Use them any way you like. There are just two things you can’t do: you can’t tell anyone you’re God. Believe me, you don’t want that kind of attention.” Bruce: “And the other?” God: “You can’t mess with free will.” Bruce: “Can I ask why” God: “Yes you can! That’s the beauty of it.” The film ends with God saying to a frustrated and defeated Bruce: “The problem is that people keep looking up, when they should look inside . . . You want to see a miracle—-then be a miracle.” The gift of Pentecost enables each one of us to be a miracle . . . an ongoing incarnation of the presence of Jesus on Earth. You want to see Jesus? Then be Jesus. We have not had testimony time in a long time. I think next Sunday will be a good time for us to continue this conversation. I am telling you this week, so that people can think about what they will say. But I want us to testify about the presence of the holy Spirit in your life? How is God at work in your life, What is God calling you to do in the future, What are you up to in your life, that only the spirit can help you to succeed? I would encourage everyone to think about those answers this week, so that some will be able to share with us next week. That is the greatest gift of the presence of the holy Spirit, is the ability to witness to the presence of God in our lives. Finally, Waiting to Exhale A character in John Updike’s novel, A Month of Sundays, reflecting on his youthful experience of the church, says, "Churches bore for me the relation to God that billboards did to Coca-Cola; they promoted thirst but did nothing to quench it." The Holy Spirit empowers the church to be the agent of change in the world, a counter-cultural entity. The task of the church is to breathe in the Spirit and be inspired by the Spirit to act on behalf of God. But the church has been waiting to exhale far too long. As the Spirit of God flows into us, it also ought to flow from us in the way we treat one another, the way we speak to one another, in the way we treat others in our community, in the way we live out the new life we receive when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord. Staff, www.eSermons.com Let us pray this prayer Jesus, though you were of one age, you spoke to the ages. Jesus, though you lived long ago, you spoke words that continue to move, motivate, mature, and transfigured us. Jesus, though you were of Palestinian color and culture, you spoke to all cultures and colors. We thank you for your timeliness and timelessness. May the church that bears your name continue to reach out with love and compassion toward other members of the human family, no matter what age, culture, color, or context. –Leonard Sweet Children’s Sermon Human Rain Storm Activity This Activity is meant for Cub Scouts. Notes: This works great in a larger gathering. Instructions: The leader explains that a rain storm is coming but not to worry because it won't last long. If we listen, we can hear it come and go. Direct the scouts on the right side of the room to sit facing forward, but watch the scouts immediately to their left and do exactly what they do. Don't watch the leader or other scouts. Just watch that scout and listen to the sounds. Repeat the instructions across the room, having everyone watch the scouts immediately to their left, but keep sitting forward so the scouts on their right can see what they do. Then, the leader should stand at the left side of the room and tell those scouts on the far left to watch him. When the leader does an action, he should try to do it so scouts across the room can not see it. The leader does each of the following actions, and continues doing it until it has propagated across the room: • Rub hands together • Snap fingers • Clap hands • Slap thighs • Stomp feet • Slap thighs • Clap hands • Snap fingers • Rub hands • Hands on lap Extra illustrations…… A Harnessed Power Power can be used in at least two ways: it can be unleashed, or it can be harnessed. The energy in ten gallons of gasoline, for instance, can be released explosively by dropping a lighted match into the can. Or it can be channeled through the engine of a Honda in a controlled burn and used to transport a person 350 miles. Explosions are spectacular, but controlled burns have lasting effect, staying power. The Holy Spirit works both ways. At Pentecost, he exploded on the scene; His presence was like "tongues of fire" (Acts 2:3). Thousands were affected by one burst of God's power. But He also works through the church--the institution God began to tap the Holy Spirit's power for the long haul. Through worship, fellowship, and service, Christians are provided with staying power. Unknown The Cape of Good Hope Do you know that the southernmost point of Africa has for centuries experienced tremendous storms. For many years no one even knew what lay beyond that cape, for no ship attempting to round that point had ever returned to tell the tale. Among the ancients it was known as the "Cape of Storms," and for good reason. But then a Portuguese explorer in the sixteenth century, Vasco De Gama, successfully sailed around that very point and found beyond the wild raging storms, a great calm sea, and beyond that, the shores of India. The name of that cape was changed from the Cape of Storms to the Cape of Good Hope. Until Jesus Christ rose from the dead, death had been the cape of storms on which all hopes of life beyond had been wrecked. No one knew what lay beyond that point until, on Easter morning Christ showed us. His disciples trembled in fear, even after seeing evidence of His resurrection. Eventually, Christ turns their Cape of Storms into a Cape of Good Hope with His appearance and the peace He brings. Pastor Buchs, Peace and Forgiveness The poet William Blake wrote a poem about Pentecost. Part of the poem says: Unless the eye catch fire, God will not be seen. Unless the ear catch fire, God will not be heard. Unless the tongue catch fire, God will not be named. Unless the Heart catch fire, God will not be loved. Unless the mind catch fire, God will not be known. William Blake An Amazing Organization Acts 2:1-11, vs. 6: And at the sound the multitude came together and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Object: A hand bell. [Begin with the ringing of the bell.] Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! How do you like that for starting a children's sermon? Did that get your attention? What does it mean to ring a bell like I just did? [Let them answer.] What do I want to happen when I ring the bell as I just did? [Let them answer.] That's right, I want all who are present to come together so that I can make an announcement, or tell everyone something that I think they should know. Do you think that would be a good way to do it? A long time ago people did it this way. A man might stand in the middle of the town, if it wasn't too big, and ring his bell, and when all of the people came together he would tell them something that he thought they should know. That isn't exactly what happened a long, long time ago, but it was pretty close. I want to tell you about something that happened in the world just after Jesus went back to live with his heavenly Father. I suppose you remember how disappointed the disciples were when Jesus left and returned to the Father. They were disappointed and afraid. Now, Jesus told them not to worry or be afraid, because very soon after he left, God was going to send someone called the Holy Spirit to them, and they would see more marvelous things happen than even the ones that Jesus did. Well, the disciples wanted to believe that, but they just couldn't. They were so afraid. Then one day, a large wind came to Jerusalem and it made an awful noise. The people were so afraid that they ran out of their houses and into the street. Even the disciples came out of their house where they were hiding and they stood outside with the people of Jerusalem and a lot of other people from a lot of strange countries that the disciples had never visited. This strange wind with the weird noise was kind of like my bell, because it brought the people together. But then even something stranger happened. People began to talk, and you can imagine what it must have sounded like. Everyone was speaking in their own language and they filled the streets with noise. Ordinarily, no one would have been able to understand anyone else, but on that day everyone understood what the others were saying. I told you that Jesus promised when the Holy Spirit came there would even be more marvelous things happen than had ever happened before. Well, this was just one of them. The Holy Spirit started the church that day, and he did it by letting everyone listen to Peter speak, and all of the people understood him. Three thousand people listened and joined the church on that first day, and the disciples believed that Jesus had kept his promise. God is still doing wonderful things like that, but the next time you hear anyone ring a bell, you think of the odd wind that brought people together on the birthday of the church.