As a child I struggled with the seemingly simple concept that fire is hot. It seemed no matter what my parents did to discourage me from playing with the knobs on the stove and other things that could produce fire, I still continued. By most accounts I was relatively intelligent for a four year old, but for some reason, when it came to fire, I would not or could not learn that fire is hot. Everything changed one night when I ran from the bathroom after a bath, and tripped into our cast iron fireplace! Apparently I was not burned too badly, since I have no scars, but it was enough of a shock to me, that for months after the incident I could not walk by the fireplace without pointing and saying "HOT".
The scripture lesson for this week (Pentecost) also speaks of fire, but of a different kind. In Acts 2:1-21, we find the story of the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Apostles and others are gathered together, when suddenly "tongues of fire" rest upon the heads of each one. We are then told that all were filled with the "Holy Spirit" and began speaking in different languages to people throughout Jerusalem. The key to this passage, is not that tongues of fire landed upon all those gathered together, nor is it that once this happened they began to speak in different languages, the important part of the passage is that they were all filled with the Holy Spirit! Jesus had told his followers to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came (Acts 1:4-5). Jesus further told them that this Holy Spirit would give them "power" (Acts 1:8). It's the Holy Spirit which empowered the frightened followers of Christ to go boldly out into the city procclaiming the Good News of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection and the subsequent offer of salvation given to all!
But in case you sometimes struggle with applying a story from the Bible to your own life (as I do), let me give you a few other examples of this. The founder of Methodism, John Wesley felt his "heart strangely warmed" at a church service on Aldersgate street. This single event took a man who before had been (to put it mildly) unsuccesful in his ministry, and empowered him to spread Methodism throughout Great Britain as well as spark a movement that would see Methodism spread across the entire United States and around the world. Another similar example comes from a man named Jonathan Edwards, whose sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is largely credited for sparking the "Great Awakening" (a movement that saw Christianity spread across the then 13 colonies like wildfire). Edwards' delivery, when preaching was characterized by a lack of gestures or eye contact, with a voice not strong or loud, but with a very solemn air about it. In other words he was boring and very serious about being boring! And yet, he is credited with being the spark that started the fire of the "Great Awakening"!
You hopefully are sensing a theme with these examples, namely, that just like with the original Pentecost, whenever God's people are moved, empowered, and rejuvinated it is only because of the working of the Holy Spirit. It was not because Wesley was so amazing that Methodism spread, it was the Holy Spirit. It was not because Edwards was such a great orator that the "Great Awakening" was initiated, it was through the Holy Spirit. It was certainly not because those first followers of Christ were so bold with sharing the good news that the church was born, rather it was because they were empowered by the Holy Spirit.
In churches across our country and even the world, many will be standing in the pulpit remarking how wonderful it would be if such things were to happen once again in their churches. Many will exclaim how amazing it would be if God would once again send the Holy Spirit upon the gathered people of God! Well I stand here not saying how wonderful it would be, but how wonderful it is! Our two congregations, not that long ago, were much different than they are today. By all accounts, they were smaller, older, poorer and in many ways less healthy than they are today. Like with the above examples, people often try to point to the visibly different thing as the reason for this change (ie the pastor). But I am glad to say that our congregations stand as another living example of the working and power of God's Holy Spirit!
So the next time you wonder if God is alive, if God still works in this world, and if God's Holy Spirit still moves amongst the people of God, you need look no further than your own church. One only needs to visit the congregations of Oxford and McDonough to witness how God's power can change and transform not only individuals, but entire congregations! May the Holy Spirit empower you today, and might you find the living God to be active in your own life.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor John
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