May 30, 2004
Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:14-17; John 14:8-17
The day of Pentecost is typically viewed in the Church as the birthday of the Church. The time for whimpering and self-pity had come to an end for leaders among the disciples. They came together to encourage one another not to feel that "the end" had come with the death of Jesus, but that a new beginning could be experienced if they took upon themselves the mantel of responsibility which they had seen in Jesus. They did it! They gave all credit for power to the Supernatural believing that the same Spirit which empowered Jesus could, was, and would empower them. Although it is not wise to seek a repetition of the detailed experiences of that day as shared by Luke, it was certainly an "aha" experience for many disciples which resulted in their going to work for the greater cause, rather than continuing to "lick their own wounds". The sense of need in the world, and the "we can do" spirit embraced by the disciples is always needed in the church in response to personal and world-wide needs. This is just as true today as it was on that Day.
The book of Romans, written as a letter to the Church at Rome by the Apostle Paul, affirms the church to be a spiritual movement rather than secular. All credit for accomplishment and all credit to a Source of Power was given to the Spirit. As confidence grew in the church that the church was responsible for carrying on the work of Jesus, the greater the accomplishments of the Church became. The human spirit needs a sense that human beings can work successfully for a cause which is greater than themselves and for a cause that is harmonious with the ways and will of God. The Christians in the early churches were encouraged in this belief by the letters and occasional presence of Missionaries such as the Apostle Paul.
The Gospel of John continues on the theme that Jesus represented God on earth and that disciples of Jesus represent Jesus because Jesus was no longer physically present with them. It was a source of both comfort and power for the early Christians to feel a sense of purpose, kinship, and empowerment through Jesus from God. This belief provided a source of meaning in life that they had never experienced before. The idea of partnership with God in doing good work is much better than the idea of submission to God through the giving of sacrificial offerings. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all religions could grasp, proclaim, and function on the basis of this belief in a modern world that has "grown" as small as it is today through communication and transportation.