Psalm 104: 24-34, 35b (New Jerusalem Bible)

Acts 2: 1-20 (Common English Bible)

As the disciples gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Feasts of Feasts, later to be called Pentecost. Jewish people from all over the known world visited this festival every year. But this time it was different, tongues of fire appeared above their heads and they began speaking in different languages. New Testament scholars are divided between two choices, some believe it’s some type of angelic language and others, foreign languages. I agree with the latter since it fits better with the context of Luke’s story. One time I visited a Pentecostal church in Salem. And it was very different. I guess they were speaking that angelic tongue. I sure didn’t understand it, I just wonder if the others did?

The Pentecost event got too hectic for some. They believed that too many disciples had too many goblets of wine in the morning on an empty stomach. But at this moment it is diversity that brings this community together.

The Body of Christ is called to disrupt the normal. One example is a simple gracious greeting when someone who is Hispanic comes through a door, especially a church door. The Hispanic word “Bienvenidos” is a good one. It means “You will always be welcomed here.”

What happened at the first Pentecost, we really don’t know the details. But we do know this event changed the lives of those who were there, and the Spirit also gave them spiritual power they never had before.   

As a result of the Holy Spirit, the early church of the 1st century opened its hands to all races and backgrounds. The story of the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts chapter eight, is a good example. The Body of Christ at that time was a poor church, but the poor loved Jesus and they knew Jesus was on their side.

The term “spirit” can describe wind or breath. It blows where it will and fires people up with faith and spiritual power. This is what kept the 1st century Church alive without much division.

But differences can also enrich and enliven worship experiences. I’ve always wanted to visit a church which celebrates the Cosmic Mass. Diversity and differences encourage us to rely on the Holy Spirit to be creative. Look how much churches have changed down through almost 2,000 years.

The fire of the Holy Spirit burns away evil. And the flames of Pentecost represent the purity and power of all disciples, to preach the Jesus Faith. How does the Holy Spirit work for us in the church today?

One, is the Holy Spirit that immerses us into the family of God. The Holy Spirit encourages and comforts us when we are hurting or discouraged. The Spirit helps us to study the Bible. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts through the church.

In the reading from Psalm chapter 104, the psalmist did not have a doctrine about the Holy Spirit or the Trinity. During the era when Psalm 104 was written, the Hebrew writer could not comprehend there was a God, with a Son combined with a Holy Spirit.

But literally the Hebrew word “Ruach” mentioned in verse 30, can mean breath, wind, spirit or vapor. The psalmist writes that God is vital to everyone on earth.

God is the vital Spirit and Life throughout the universe. The very breath of God is the vital part of the Trinity which created life on earth. If God stops breathing on any animal, it dies. If God breathes life into a child or an animal, that is Holy Spirit power. Remember this story from the psalmist was written in symbolism to honor God.

In this Psalm the entire poem celebrates God’s sovereignty over all creation, especially this real evil one, Leviathan. Some Christian fundamentalists believe that Leviathan was a dinosaur, but I don’t think so. My own guess is that it was a big white whale. The ancient Hebrews and Jews avoided the sea and oceans, unlike the ancient Greeks and Romans who were seafarers. Only God can defeat the Leviathan mentioned in the psalmist’s poem.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians chapter one, and it says, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the one who is first over all creation, because all things were created by God both in the heavens and on earth, the things that are visible and things that are invisible.”

The idea of God providing us with his very own breath (“ruarh”) might not always connect us with the Holy Spirit everyday. But God is attending to us by the gentle (indwelling) presence of the Spirit. Through Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we can really appreciate that well known sentence from the Gospel of John, chapter one, “In him was Light and that Light was the life of all people.

Pentecost is the day when we remember that divine eruption from Jerusalem. Some call it the birthday of the church. It is also the day to remember once we receive the Spirit, we are given the confidence to take a stand against evil, in whatever form.

Our life with Jesus will not be too easy, but so was Jesus’ life on earth. The Spirit can give us the courage to pick up our own crosses. But our greatest gift then will be eternal life, given through love. AMEN.