souped up & i'm ready to go

i got a soul

A sermon on the first Pentecost and what every subsequent one has in common with it

In our communion liturgy we say an old Aramaic word, “Maranatha.” 

…Anyone remembers what that word means? Maranatha? 

…YES! “Come, Lord.”

We're going to have that for our call and response throughout the sermon today. When I say, “Maranatha,” you respond with, “Come, Holy Spirit!” 

*Let’s try: “Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Perfect! You’re like old, pros!

Okay. Now I know, I said Maranatha (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!) means “Come, Lord.” And literally it does. But, when the likes of us say, “Maranatha,” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!) we mean something specific…

Many of us here today are something called “Methodist.” Aren’t we? But, there are also many of us here today who are something called “Lutheran.” BUT, here we all are, worshipping together!

This's because, regardless of whether you are called Lutheran or Methodist, you are ultimately called “Christian.” And this is the designation that matters most. Isn’t it? 

So then, whether we are called “Lutheran,” or “Methodist,” the title that matters most is “Christian.” And it is that which unities us! What we have most in common, that we are ALL called “Christian.” 

And to be called “Christian,” is none other than to have Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. 

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

But I’ve asked you to say, “Come, Holy Spirit” not, “Come, Lord Jesus.” Haven’t I?

Well, that was no mistake. I’m not playing fast and loose here. 

You see, when the likes of us say, “Come, Lord,” we can mean either, “Come, Lord Jesus,” OR “Come, Holy Spirit.” 

Because, and here’s the important thing, there’s no distinction! We’re calling on the same Lord! Calling for Jesus is calling for the Holy Spirit! And, Calling for the Holy Spirit is calling for Jesus! 

There’s no distinction! You can’t separate them! They’re a package. They come together EVERY time!

Kind of like us today. We’re different, BUT the same in all the ways that matter most! Right? “Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

…I took us through that mini-lesson in theology because the temptation is to hear the story of the first Pentecost and think it has nothing to do with us.

After all, there’s no violent wind sweeping through here. There’s no tongues of fire alighting on our heads. *Touch head* Is there? No one is bursting out into foreign languages. At least, as far as I know…

But, to focus on those details, is to miss the forrest from the trees! Because, and I know this may be hard to see, but there IS plenty we have in common today with the first Pentecost that happened nearly two-thousand years ago!

It all began with God’s people assembled together. 

Sound familiar? 

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Then, there’s a sound of something—or someone— moving through their midst. Before anyone knows it, they’re all talking. And yes, they’re talking in a foreign language. That’s just a cool party-trick, though; the part that matters is what—or who— they’re talking about!

And, what are they talking about??? 

…Yes! “God’s deeds of power.”

That ever happen to you? Before you know it, you find yourself in a conversation telling someone, maybe even a perfect stranger, about God? 

If you’re not careful that’ll happen later today when you tell a friend about what you’ve been up to this morning.

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

The truth is, we have more opportunities to tell of God’s mighty deeds of power than we recognize. Especially in this day and age…

Which brings us to a major point of commonality between the first Pentecost and ours today. When folks looked in on what was happening that first Pentecost, they were bewildered. in fact, so strange was their assembly, some scoffed! Accusing them of public intoxication!

And I know, after all these years, it’s easy for us to think what we’re doing here is the most reasonable thing in the world. But stop by any Starbucks, and pick some random stranger to observe what’s going on here today, and they’ll tell you! 

Our assemblies are still strange! What we’re doing IS still capable of inviting the same kind of bewilderment from onlookers!

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Because that’s the thing, it’s not about the crowd in and of itself. As Starbucks can attest, many things can draw a crowd. What’s significant about every Pentecost is the One who draws the crowd; Jesus!

And He is the biggest point of commonality between this Pentecost and the very first one; the One whose Spirit gets loose every Pentecost is Jesus’! 

And when Jesus’ Spirit get’s loose, things get strange! 

At least, by the standards of the way things are…

When Jesus’ Spirit gets loose it’s a good idea for a people called “Lutheran” to worship with a people called “Methodist.” 

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

When Jesus’s Spirit get’s loose it’s a good idea for a people called “Methodist” to open their space, serve a meal and take up an offering for a people called “Lutheran.” All because we share another experience; trauma.

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

And maybe that’s why it’s not altogether bad to feel like this Pentecost doesn’t match up to the first one. Because that’s the way God’s people always feel when Jesus’ Spirit gets loose! Not up to the task!

…There’s a great detail in today’s scripture; those gathered all start speaking different languages. Yet, somehow the crowd can tell they’re all Galilean. 

…Well, there’s a reason for this. 

It’s because their accent betrays them! Although they’re all speaking in different languages, they’re speaking with a common accent; a Galilean one!

…& you may remember another time someone’s accent betrayed them…

In fact, it had only happened a few months earlier… 

In the courtyard, when Peter denied Jesus three times. 

And yet, this same Peter who had earlier been cowed-down by a little servant girl, now finds the courage to preach about this same Jesus to a crowd of onlookers!

That’s what Jesus LOVES to do! Take the ones who look to the world like cast-offs, and cast them in! Take Peter and make him into a preacher. 

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Take a congregation ravaged by a fire, and make them into a witness of the way God’s fire can knit people together! 

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Take a congregation exiled by an explosion, and make them into a witness of the way God builds new life out of rubble!

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Take a congregation just trying to get along, and wrap them up into this great adventure!

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

That, finally, is the most important point of commonality between this Pentecost and the first one; the way only Jesus could have made it happen!

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Only Jesus could have done this! Only Jesus’ Spirit let loose could have got the likes of us here together today! 

And over something like the shared experience of having life take the wind out of our sails! Only Jesus could have done this!

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

And that’s not all. Because only Jesus could have gotten you here today, too!

Believe me, it’s not an odd thing to hear the story of Jesus and think whoever came up with it must have been drunk on cheap wine. And yet!

And yet, you hear this story and can’t help but have faith in it! 

That work is the work of none other than the Holy Spirit!

As Martin Luther says in the Small Catechism, and I can talk about Martin Luther here! Not just because I’m Lutheran and your pastor invited me into the pulpit, but also because it was while Luther’s commentary on Roman’s was being read that John Wesley’s experienced his heart being strangely warmed! Another point of connection between us! 

You can thank us Lutherans for Wesley!

Anyway, in the Small Catechism, Luther said, “I believe that by my own understanding of strength I CANNOT believe in Jesus Christ my Lord or come to him, BUT instead the Holy Spirit has called me…”

You see, we cannot even have faith on our own! It’s the word of the Holy Spirit in you! The same Holy Spirit that got loose on the first Pentecost!

Today isn’t about what we can do; it’s about the sort of things that can’t help but happen when Jesus’ Spirit gets loose! 

Call the likes of us! Gather the likes of us! 

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Transform our tragedies into opportunities to witness to God’s mighty deeds! Transform our weekly gathering into another opportunity for the Spirit to call us!

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

And if you don’t feel up to it! Good! you’re not. 

Thanks be to God we’re not left to ourselves. God has sent The Spirit! Jesus’ Spirit! Jesus’ Spirit let loose, and in our midst!

“Maranatha!” (COME, HOLY SPIRIT!)

Yes! Amen! Come, Holy Spirit!