Pentecost is frequently described as the “birthday of the church”, and isn’t that a nice, comforting, pretty image to have. Birthdays after all are filled with family and friends, rmaybe some party games, good food, lots of balloons and of course, presents. It’s a pretty image, but I think it’s a wrong and woefully misleading image. Pentecost isn’t sweet, it isn’t safe, it isn’t warm and fuzzy and familial. No, Pentecost is dangerous.
The story begins with a group of believers, isolating themselves. Likely they were afraid of outsiders, so they all stayed together. If they had known what was going to happen, they would have been afraid of NOT splitting up and heading for the hills, because what was about to happen would have tweaked even the bravest of us. They are in danger, but not from those they are hiding from. God is about to come crashing in, and not only is God entering with a violent wind, but God is bringing in everyone they are trying to avoid.
Once upon a time there was a child who woke after a frightening nightmare. She was convinced there were all kinds of monsters and goblins lurking under her bed and in the corners of her room. She ran to her parents’ bedroom and after her mother had calmed her down, she took the child back to her own room and said, “You don’t need to be afraid, you aren’t alone here. God is right here with you in your room.” The little girl said, “I know that God is here, but I need someone in my room that has some skin on!”
For the first few months of every church year we journey with Jesus, God in the flesh. Thanks to the incarnation, we spend time with a God with skin on. We remember his birth, his baptism, his teaching, his death, his resurrection and his ascension. It’s a story we have celebrated over and over again, it’s a story we will continue to celebrate.
Last week we heard of Jesus’ final leaving. For 33 years Jesus was here on earth; healing, teaching, reconciling. But now he’s gone, ascended into heaven. The time when God was physically present, physically touchable, physically knowable is over. And here we are, left behind, totally bereft. And our consolation? Our comforter? It’s a violent, mighty wind. A wind that leaves tongues of fire on the apostles’ heads, a wind that causes a cacophony of languages to be spoken. Where oh where is our God in the Flesh? A God we can see and hear and touch and smell. A God who is with us at work, in difficult meetings, and in scary illnesses and accidents. We need a God who is with us when we’re alone, when we’re hungry, when we’re cold, when we’re falsely accused. We need a God who will share our laughter when we’re happy, who will dry our tears when we’re sad; a God who will challenge us, poke us, prod us and most of all a God who makes us believe we are loved and lovable.
What kind of God would be here for 33 years and then just take off on us, leaving nothing tangible behind? What kind of God would enter human history and then just disappear into the ether?
Reggie McNeal says that there's a Pentecost happening everyday in the world. All day long, every day of our lives, we have the chance and the choice to breath in the wind and the flames of the Holy Spirit, to put some skin on God, to put some God in our skin. God uses us as we are, all of our flaws, all of our faults, all of our passions and all of our gifts. I mean, just look at the apostles: one was impatient, one was cranky, one was uncertain, one was unfocused, one was self-centered, one was thoughtless, and on and on. (Preaching tip.com/archives-yearbook-c/pentecost-day-year-c). Pentecost isn't about being perfect, it isn't even about being good enough. It's about hearing what sounds foreign to us and making sense of it, about hearing what strangers have to say and understanding what they want and need. And by the way, when I say strangers I don't necessarily mean people we don't know, people we have never met. We can be here week after week, at work week after week, and sadly enough, at home day after day and still not really know each other, we can still seem as if we come from different countries and speak different languages. The gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us is that we can hear and understand what each other is saying. By the gift of the Holy Spirit we can be Christ to one another.
Through the Holy Spirit God takes on flesh again. When we receive the Holy Spirit, when we accept the Holy Spirit, when we claim the Holy Spirit, God awakens in us the gifts that God needs so that God can continue to be present in the world.
From Advent until now we've been watching and listening to Jesus. He has been teaching us how to bring God's kingdom here on earth. He has been modeling for us how to be God with skin on for one another. And now it's up to us.
We are the the church, we are the body of Christ. Good Shepherd is a spirit filled place, we are a spirit filled people. Today we celebrate. Tomorrow we get busy being God with skin on for the world. What is the spirit calling you to do? Food pantry? Sunday school? Vestry? Singing in the choir? Altar Guild? Visiting the sick? Those are a few of our existing ministries. Perhaps the Spirit is calling you to something new, a ministry not yet present here. Pray, discern, explore your passion, talk to Mother Cathy, ask your neighbor in the pews or a trusted friend what they could envision you doing. And then, do it. Claim your gift from the Holy Spirit and Be God with Skin on.
Amen.
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