The birthday of the church

This past week was Pentecost Sunday and graduation for the class of 2022!
Pentecost is a big deal – it is the birthday of the church. Yet it gets mixed in with graduation ceremonies and parties and is often overlooked or pushed to the background. And you know what, that’s OK! Because that is what Pentecost is all about, the mixing and mingling of the Holy Spirit with us to form community. Now that is something to truly celebrate!
Acts 2:1-4 (1-20 if you want the whole story)
When the day of Pentecost came, all the believers gathered in one place. Suddenly a sound came from heaven. It was like a strong wind blowing. It filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw something that looked like fire in the shape of tongues. The flames separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak in languages they had not known before. The Spirit gave them the ability to do this.
Pentecost was an important time in Jewish culture – like graduations and other rites of passage are to us. People came to Jerusalem from near and far, and the disciples were also gathered there waiting for God to send the Holy Spirit just as Jesus had promised. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” John 14:18. Then, suddenly, there was a big sound like a rushing wind! And then, there were bits of fire that appeared!
The tongues that were not quite like fire and not really like tongues either, but some visible manifestation of an invisible presence was making connections. It was one, divided and settling on each. It was one presence, one sound, and it was heard by each, who then echoed the sound, so that more heard. It wasn’t an experience to keep to oneself, that much is plain. It was meant to be shared. It was meant to be community building.
Pentecost is the building of community. It is the Holy Spirit that helps us overcome our differences and make connections. Pentecost is about the church being the church. Pentecost reminds us that this is a small world, and our need to be in community with one another. That is what the Church is born to be. A community that brings hope and healing to a hurting world.
Amen