"God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh..." (Acts 2:1) Jesus has arisen and Pentecost is his promise to all Christ followers that they/we will be filled with the Holy Spirit. Pentecost (50 days following our Easter Resurrection) is the birth of the church as the primary place (although not the only place) where Jesus will be present to us through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Read Acts 2: 1-21 for an account of the fiery tongues of flames, roaring winds, and the languages across the nations as God pours out the Spirit for ALL peoples. This is the power of God given to the church empowering it to be the Body of Christ.
The power of the Holy Spirit, represented by wind and flames, can be perceived as a life-threatening force when we think of wildfires wiping out wilderness or tornadoes tearing through the towns of Joplin or Harveyville. But the real power of the Spirit is a spirit of love and goodness. At the same time it's a power of transformation - both mundane and miraculous. Because real transformation can be difficult to perceive within a short timeline or because of the often personal nature of transformation, we have trouble recognizing the Holy Spirit blowing through our lives and our church. The Holy Spirit is always on the move and any Body of Christ that becomes stagnant or self satisfied cuts themselves off from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is about the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5: 22): love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Or as Paul writes in Galatians 4:18: "It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good."
The challenge for the church is to continue looking and asking, "Where is the Holy Spirit moving, breathing, working, pushing, pulling, nudging, whispering to me and throughout my church?" When we can discern answers to this question, we will have the direction and challenge to which we must respond.
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Shelley
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