Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs- we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice 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 people 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 heavens 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.”

Let us pray,

Draw us close, Holy Spirit, as the Scriptures are read, and the Word is proclaimed. Let the word of faith be on our lips and in our hearts, and let all other words slip away. May there be one voice we hear today- the voice of truth and grace. Amen. 

It’s good to see all of your faces this morning! I’ve forgotten what some of you look like without your masks on!

It feels theologically appropriate to me that we can remove our face masks on Pentecost Sunday. I don’t know about you all, but it has been challenging to hear someone speaking to me with a mask on. It’s easy to misunderstand a prayer request. Or not quite catch the lyrics of a hymn we’re singing in worship. Or to chat with people in the back of the sanctuary after worship. It’s been challenging to be the church, when you can’t understand what people are saying to you! 

Today is a special day in the life of the church. On Pentecost Sunday, the church celebrates the Spirit’s ability to unite believers of all languages. Whenever Christians gather, and can understand one another, the Spirit is present. Sometimes the Spirit enables us to hear one another’s languages. Sometimes the Spirit enables us to bestow grace when someone misunderstands us. Pentecost- the infusion of the Spirit into the church- makes it possible for the church to fulfill her mission. To share the gospel of Jesus Christ with all of the nations.

To fully appreciate the wonder of Pentecost. It’s helpful to remember why human beings struggled to understand each other in the first place. For that we’ll have to reach way back in Scripture. To Genesis 11. To the story of the Tower of Babel. After the Flood, a united generation of humans spoke a single language. These humans tried to build a tower tall enough to reach heaven. God, seeing the tower, takes this as a sign they don’t trust in him. So God confuses their speech and scatters them all over the world.

It’s really, REALLY, hard to do anything when a group of people don’t speak the same language. Jesus knows this. This is why after Jesus ascends to the Father, Jesus sends the Spirit to unify humanity. The Spirit’s presence is what allows humanity to live in community with one another. As they try to follow Jesus in their everyday lives.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what this Pentecost unity means for the post-pandemic church. Now that things are starting to open back up again, there is great temptation to DO.ALL. THE. THINGS. But I do not believe the frantic pace we kept in our pre-pandemic lives is the goal. When we say that we want things to return to normal. I think when we say we want to return to normal, we want to be able to dream new dreams for our future again. One way that we do this is by asking what is that house-shattering, boundary breaking, violent wind of a Spirit up to in our church today?

I believe the Spirit is inviting both Mt. Nebo and Glenshaw Valley to dream about what type of church they want to become post-pandemic. As we make plans for the future, I’ve observed two areas you both seem to be focusing on. Hugs. And Food. Or if you want to use the fancy words. Fellowship and Mission. 

First off, hugs. We’re all figuring out how to be within six feet of each other again. One thing this pandemic has taught us is that it’s really hard to share the peace of Christ with someone when you can’t touch them. Especially during really important moments in the life of faith. For things like baptisms, weddings, and funerals. As well as non- mportant moments. Like wanting to welcome someone. Or thank someone for something. As we learn to be around each other again. We will rely on the Spirit’s promptings. For how best we can care for. As we figure out how to be around one another again. 

The second area we’re focusing on is food. I’ve been joking with both churches this week. Telling you all that on Pentecost, Christin and I are going to party like it’s 2019. Because both churches are having a food fellowship after church. To celebrate Pentecost. But also to thank Christin for her good work with us over this strange year. Friends we’re all a little out of practice when it comes to eating with other people. But I do believe that one way the Spirit draws people into the Triune God is through sharing a meal with other people. 

The reason the church focuses on fellowship and mission is to draw others into Christian community. We spend time with one another. Because we know that we are better together. We serve others to express our gratitude over the fact that God loves and cares for us. And to practice our belief that Christian community is a space worth fighting for.

When we talk about sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the nations, that can feel really big and overwhelming. I am just one person. How can I share something that I don’t totally understand? With people I haven’t even met yet? The answer to this question is that you can’t. Apart from the Spirit. It is the Spirit that draws folks into the Triune God. It is the Spirit that smooths over the rough edges we all have over past disagreements in the church. And it is the Spirit who gives us hope and vision for a new future.

That’s not to say we have no role to play in the Spirit’s ministry. Each and every one of us is tasked with discerning the movement of the Spirit in our lives and in our faith communities. And communicating that movement so that our community can move forward.

Some folks do this in a formal way. They serve as Session members and Deacons. Where they work with me to discern the Spirit’s movement in our buildings and among our people. Other folks do this in a less formal way. They keep in touch with members at home. And they keep me informed of the goings on in our communities. They send birthday cards and make donations to local food pantries.

Friends, now that the Spirit has descended upon the church, we all have a role to play in shaping the future of God’s church in our communities. It doesn’t matter how old you are. Whether you are male, female, or a child. It doesn’t matter what language you speak. Or whether or not you grew up in the church. For as Peter reminds us, because of the Spirit:

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,

Your young men will see visions,

Your old men will dream dreams…

I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below,

Blood and fire and billows of smoke…

And everyone who calls

On the name of the Lord will be saved.

Thanks be to God, 

In Jesus’ name.

Amen.