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Scripture - Acts 2:1-21
Acts 2:1-21 1-4 When the Feast of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Without warning there was a sound like a strong wind, gale force—no one could tell where it came from. It filled the whole building. Then, like a wildfire, the Holy Spirit spread through their ranks, and they started speaking in a number of different languages as the Spirit prompted them. 5-11There were many Jews staying in Jerusalem just then, devout pilgrims from all over the world. When they heard the sound, they came on the run. Then when they heard, one after another, their own mother tongues being spoken, they were thunderstruck. They couldn't for the life of them figure out what was going on, and kept saying, "Aren't these all Galileans? How come we're hearing them talk in our various mother tongues? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; Visitors from Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene; Immigrants from Rome, both Jews and proselytes; Even Cretans and Arabs! "They're speaking our languages, describing God's mighty works!" 12Their heads were spinning; they couldn't make head or tail of any of it. They talked back and forth, confused: "What's going on here?" 13Others joked, "They're drunk on cheap wine." 14-21That's when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: "Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren't drunk as some of you suspect. They haven't had time to get drunk—it's only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen: "In the Last Days," God says, "I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams. When the time comes, I'll pour out my Spirit On those who serve me, men and women both, and they'll prophesy. I'll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, Blood and fire and billowing smoke, the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, Before the Day of the Lord arrives, the Day tremendous and marvelous; And whoever calls out for help to me, God, will be saved." Sermon How many of you have tweens, teens and young adults in your life - grandchildren or nieces or nephews? Does it ever seem like they’re speaking a different language? I got a taste of this the other day when I was playing tag with Michael and his friends, and I tagged him and he said, “No! I’m on T!” And I’m like, what? On T? (Time out). Anyway, Gen Z has its own dialect, much like every generation. But what this generation has that others don’t, is their very own devotional guide to Scripture - The Word according to Gen Z. Let’s take a look at some verses: [Gen Z intro - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OngIO8itByw ] (The Word According to Gen Z *is* a real resource, a 30 day devotional, and if you look up Sunday Cool Tees on YouTube, there are some more Bible Translations, as well as a few fun “how to speak Gen Z” videos to help you understand the young people in your life). However, I don’t recommend going up to the teens in your life and saying “suh fam jam” lest you end up embarrassing yourself and those around you in a desperate attempt to flex your new skills, causing you and the teen in your life wanting nothing else than to yeet yourselves off into the distance. But there is something about language and culture that meshes together that makes words and how we communicate with one another fundamental to creating authentic connection and relationship - and when I read our text from the book of Acts this week, I was struck by how the outpouring of the Holy Spirit empowered the early followers of Jesus to take this risky act of encounter and connection beyond themselves. The text describes this dramatic event with images of wildfire and sounds of rushing wind and outbursts of language - it was such a spectacle that Jews from the surrounding regions staying in Jerusalem for the festival were drawn and amazed by these native Galileans - who wouldn’t have known the languages of these other regions - speaking in words the crowds could understand. Some were amazed and astounded and confused...and for some, there was no other frame to make sense of what was happening than by assuming the early disciples were drunk. Peter stepped out and proclaimed God’s saving day was near - and if we continue to read the story, many new followers of Jesus were baptized and added to their number on that day. The Holy Spirit propelled - perhaps even compelled - the first followers of Jesus outward. In that moment, the disciples didn’t talk to each other, they didn’t keep the experience to themselves, they didn’t devise growth strategies or wonder how to reach their Jewish Egyptian neighbor, they didn’t think about the next new vision statement that would be sure to attract people to the movement or schedule a meeting to brainstorm fresh new ideas. They didn’t hoard this Holy Spirit gift and devise ways to keep it to themselves. They couldn’t help but act, they couldn’t help but share what they had seen and heard and lived of God’s action in their lives - Jesus, in their midst - God, raising their beloved rabbi from the dead - the Spirit, poured out and here and God’s going be about something big and new - don’t you want to be a a part of it too? I love this image from Debie Thomas: “This is what the Holy Spirit required of Christ's frightened disciples on the birthday of the church. Essentially, she told them: Stop huddling in what you call safety. Throw open your windows and doors. Feel the pressure of my hand against your backs, pour yourselves into the streets you've come to fear, and speak! Don't you understand? Silence is no longer an option. You are on fire!” And that first step outward? Is all about creating connections. Relationship. Speaking the language - knowing the culture, needs, assumptions, worldview - of those out in the world. And I think the world - and our community - needs a whole lot more of that kind of connection. This kind of connection doesn’t come about when we make assumptions, or think we know our neighbors. It only happens when we risk encounter - and in our Pentecost story, that connection came when both the disciples and the crowd stepped into surrender and humility. The disciples moved out of comfort and safety and had to trust that the words and languages on their hearts - new words, strange words, scary words — were words precisely ordained for the time and place they occupied, no matter how awkward or anxious or vulnerable they felt. The crowd, too, had to suspend their own assumptions and take the risk of curiosity, stopping to marvel and wonder instead of deride and dismiss - and not everyone could make that shift because some in the crowd chose to write off the disciples as drunks. But when surrender and openness happened - God’s kingdom unfolded in their midst. When I think about a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit - this is what I’m hoping for for us - a willingness to suspend internal concerns for genuine encounter and connection with our neighbors - an openness and intention to understand the languages of those around us, to understand their assumptions, their hopes, their fears, their concerns, their questions, their struggles and celebrations - all with the hope that maybe we have a fresh message of God’s action in our lives and in our midst to share as well. Because I think what the community hears a lot from us as a church is this: the church is here for you. You belong and are welcome. When times are tough, we’ll be there. Don’t get me wrong, this is a nice message. It’s comforting. Hopeful. It’s nice knowing that there’s a safety net, and a community of caring people that will walk with you in the midst of life’s challenging moments. But is it the message our community needs to hear? Is it a message that excites people to join up with what we’re doing? Is it a Holy Spirit message that builds bridges of relationship and invites others into a space of transformation and wholeness? Or does it place us in safe spaces where we don’t have to take the risk of encounter? I say this because we’ve been on this journey of disaffiliation where we’re stepping away from the United Methodist Church - and that affords us the opportunity to renegotiate a lot of things. Some have shared that this is a moment for us to live the church we want to be. But if the Holy Spirit isn’t part of that equation, disaffiliation isn’t going to change anything but the name on our door. Two thousand years ago - when the Holy Spirit first came over those followers of Jesus - what mattered wasn’t the strategic planning of the disciples, not their rhetorical skills or how pious or religious they were (or weren’t). What mattered is they followed Jesus’ instructions to stay in Jerusalem and wait on the Spirit’s power to move in and through them, enabling them not to build an empire of the familiar and known, but to ignite a movement that took them beyond themselves and their concerns. We need that fresh outpouring too - we need the Holy Spirit to instruct and guide us, reshape and remold us. “We need new words to rekindle love. We need the wind and fire of God to challenge our complacencies, reset our priorities, ease our anxieties, and move us out” to engage and speak the languages of those outside ourselves so that the invitation we give is more than just “we’re here for you”....but it’s “we need you and your stories and hopes and dreams and fears and doubts because God is moving in all the world and is doing a new thing in my life and in these places and let’s be a part of that unfolding of peace and justice together.” It starts with waiting on the Holy Spirit. And it starts with moving outside ourselves and finding connection. And true, authentic connection and relationship might be one of the greatest gifts we can give. It is only out of that connection and relationship that holy transformation and ministry can happen. All it takes is one simple step and waiting on the Spirit of God to embolden us to share whatever new thing God is doing in our lives and what we see God up to in the world and to invite others to be a part of that new thing too. Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me May this be so for our lives as followers of Jesus….for our life as a church...that we may speak the words of hope our community needs to hear for the sake of healing and wholeness for our island and for our world. Amen.
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Scripture - Acts 1:1-11
Acts 1:1-11 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Sermon This morning, we’re going to spend some time together reading this passage using a method called Ignatian Contemplation - it’s the process where you let your imagination place yourself in the scripture passage and explore the scene using your senses. You might find yourself as a character in the story or as a bystander in the scene. Perhaps you’ll find yourself interacting and conversing with the people in the narrative or perhaps you remain silent. I’ll be guiding us through this exercise - but I want to give some context to this reading to help us fully enter the narrative. The early followers of Jesus have been through a lot - their beloved rabbi and friend had been arrested by the religious authorities, turned over to the empire, and executed as an enemy. A few days after this, they discover that Jesus, in fact, is alive - first through the witness of the women at the tomb and then as Jesus visits them himself. He walks with them, breaks bread with them, and them. I have to wonder what they might have thought and felt after 40 days of Jesus hanging around. If we take this story in partnership with the end of the Gospel of Luke, the final conversation here between Jesus and his disciples takes place outside in the vicinity of Bethany, which was a small village on the eastern slopes of the Mount of Olives - just outside Jerusalem. I invite you to find a comfortable position - you may choose to turn your video off for this if you like. Close your eyes and find the rhythm of your breath…..in…..and out….note your feet on the ground….feel the place you’re sitting in hold and carry your weight...let yourself be held….scan your body for any places of discomfort or tension...breathe again to work loose those places….and take a moment to note what’s going on in your body...and place those feelings in God’s care…. Take another breath in and out….and consider in this moment God’s deep love for you...and ask yourself the question: What does God desire for me in this moment?...as you discover what that is, ask God to grant that to you….and if you are unsure….ask to be open to whatever gifts God has for you through this passage... “In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.” Imagine a montage of Jesus appearing to the disciples - what scenes do you see? What is Jesus doing - and how are the disciples responding? What are the disciples doing and how does Jesus respond? Is there something happening that you imagine that particularly captures your attention? 4While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Where are you in this scene? What is the reaction of those around you when Jesus says these words? What emotions rise within you from what Jesus speaks? 6So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Imagine the setting - outside the Mount of Olives - what sounds and smells do you sense? Who is present and where are you in the scene? What do you feel as you come together with Jesus? What expectations do you have for yourself and for your community when you hear someone ask about the restoration of the kingdom? How does Jesus’ response sit with you? What words of his stick out for you? 9When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. What does this look like to you? As you are watching, what are you thinking? What are you feeling? Where does that reside within your body? What reactions do you see from others around you? 10While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Describe the atmosphere in this scene - and note what the two men in white robes say. What happens when they speak? What expressions are on their faces as they deliver those words? What do the disciples do next? What do you do next? What motivates you to take that action? As we come out of our time of contemplating this story...you can turn your video screens back on...what struck out to you? What did you notice or feel in the story that you hadn’t given consideration to before? What did this experience leave you with? An invitation? A challenge? In what ways are you living with Jesus’s command to be his witness - or in what ways is that a struggle for you? What does that mean for us as a community of faith? I offer this poem from Steve Garnaas-Holmes called “Absence” as we move into our time of sharing Joys and Concerns: Sometimes empty sky is what we get, loss and absence our only version of the Beloved, the fact of lack of tact our faith, for this: the One has exceeded now one flesh and is flesh with all flesh, the Body raised into all bodies, your place no longer there, but here, in love, even when borne as grief, the emptiness in us your shape. Even your absence hosts your presence, our yearning is you. Amen. Scripture - John 10:11-18, Psalm 23
John 10:11-18 (New Revised Standard Version) 11“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. 17For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. 18No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.” Psalm 23 (New Revised Standard Version) 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff-- they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long. Response A couple weeks ago, this video was making the rounds on the internet: [show sheep video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLZW-kWr1F4] I mean, how many of us can identify a bit with the sheep? Just absolutely stuck, caught in a rut, totally trapped by our circumstances and surrounding -- and just when we get bailed out, somehow find ourselves back in a similar place? I mean - we are just a people who sometimes can’t seem to get out of our own way - thank goodness for Jesus as a shepherd who is there to pull us out again and again and again! This passage from John of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is paired with Psalm 23 in the lectionary - in the first passage, Jesus himself shares about the relationship between himself, the sheep, the hired hand, the wolf that comes to scatter -- how the shepherd lays down his life for his flock. In Psalm 23, the relationship becomes personal, as the psalmist gives life and imagery to God’s provision, protection, and guidance throughout all of life. The assumption can be made that hearers of Jesus’s words would be familiar with the psalms - as the Psalms were the prayer book of our ancestors in faith. The Psalms aren’t teachings or law or stories like other parts of Scripture - the psalms is a collection of prayers. Poems. Words that reveal the depth of the human condition and give full expression to human emotion - words that contain praises to God, anger at God, fear in the face of foes, condemnation of others -- if it’s an emotion, it’s in there. The Psalms lend themselves so well to being pondered and reflected upon - as they touch places and feelings in our own lives and experiences. Above all, they are meant to convey intimacy with God. From UCC WorshipWays, “Some are prayerful pleadings for God to act. Some are simply are prayerful reflections on how grief was transformed into trust, fear was transformed into faith, joy shared, contentment cultivated, and praise unrelentingly released. All of them are prayers meant to speak to experience and to give people words to pray when we need the voice of experience and wisdom, or somewhere outside ourselves to turn.” This morning - I invite us to consider our own relationship with Jesus as shepherd - and we’ll use Psalm 23 as inspiration for us to write honestly about our own experience and connection with God. We’ll each rewrite Psalm 23 in our own prayer words. Here’s how we’ll do that:
Here are a few personal rewrites from Sunday! Psalm 23 - Gloria Brown Jesus, my shepherd, you provide everything I need. You give me rest and calm my spirit. You are my source of courage to continue in your mission. When darkness comes, you cast out its evil and help me go on. You provide abundantly and hold me up above my enemies. When I am with you, I feel blessed and gifted. My hopes are in a long life under your direction and protection on earth and then in heaven. Psalm 23 - Lola Armstrong God is my internet search app. God has answers to all my wonderings. God makes me pause pulling me away from the hectic virtual world of more questions than answers to the calm outside of cyberspace. He sends me outside to streams and meadows. His reality restores my body and mind. He leads me away from the virtual to the suffering of others To offer help and comfort in his name. Sometimes on a hazardous path, I’m afraid but holding his hand, I know I am not alone and continue on. God, you feed me — bless me— I have more than I need. So while I will live in comfort in your house, I will share what I have in this your world Where there is cruelty, hunger, and thirst. Psalm 23 - Melissa Yosua-Davis Jesus shepherds me - I have everything I need. I find places of rest and grace and abundance, and again my spirit is renewed. His voice calls to me through the Spirit, leading me to wherever he is present. In hard and difficult times, You are close by my side, acknowledging my fears and helping me be brave. Those who would oppose me have no bearing on my place in your great love, for nothing can take that away. I am forever your child, in this life and beyond. |
AuthorPastor Melissa Yosua-Davis has been serving the community of Chebeague and its church since July 2015. She currently lives on the island with her husband and five year old son and 2 year old daughter, along with their yellow lab. Read here recent sermon excerpts, thoughts on life and faith, and current announcements for the church community. She also blogs at Going on to Perfection. Archives
December 2022
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