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Pentecost  Year  B  
Acts  2:1-­‐21  
the  Spirit  shows  up  
May  24,  2015  

before  scripture  reading  

Theologian  Justo  Gonzalez  says  that  Having  people  gathered  all  hear  the  word  in  his  or  
her  own  tongue  means  that,  from  this  early  moment,  the  church  believed  and  affirms  
that  all  languages  and  all  cultures  could  be  vehicles  for  the  gospel.  It  also  means  that  
quite  soon,  the  positions  of  leadership  would  be  passed  on  to  people  of  other  languages  
and  cultures.  For  the  entire  history  told  in  Acts,  and  the  history  of  the  church  from  then  
on,  when  the  church  is  at  its  best,  has  been  a  history  of  crossing  borders,  of  learning  and  
sharing  culture,  of  becoming  incarnate  in  new  peoples  and  new  cultures.  This  is,  of  
course,  the  church  at  its  best;  and  that  is  what  we  strive  to  be.  And  that  is  what  we  
celebrate  today.  I’d  like  to  invite  our  readers  forward.  
Prayer  for  illumination  
Acts  2:1-­‐21  

When  the  day  of  Pentecost  had  come,  our  passage  begins,  they  were  all  gathered  in  
one  place.  Pentecost,  as  a  major  festival  day,  did  not  originate  with  the  Christian  
church.  It  was  a  Jewish  festival  commemorating  the  giving  of  the  Law,  it’s  occurrence  50  
days  after  Passover  corresponds  with  the  tradition  that  Moses  received  the  Ten  
Commandments  fifty  days  after  the  Exodus.    
The  writer  of  Acts  takes  a  core  story  of  liberation  from  slavery  and  the  continuing  
presence  of  God  and  adds  a  new  dimension,  the  resurrection,  liberation  from  death,  
and  its  continued  impact  on  individuals  and  communities  of  believers  who  are  open  to  
God’s  Spirit.  In  the  Jewish  tradition,  Pentecost  is  a  celebration  of  God’s  interaction  with  
God’s  people  through  the  law.  As  we  hear  it  now,  Pentecost  is  a  celebration  of  God’s  
interaction  with  God’s  people  through  the  Holy  Spirit.    
Pentecost  has  to  do  with  salvation  history.  It’s  not  just  another  date  on  the  calendar,  it’s  
part  of  God’s  saving  action  in  the  world.    

At  the  start  of  Acts,  the  story  of  the  church,  the  disciples  have  gone  to  another  upstairs  
room,  this  time  to  figure  out  “what’s  next.”  They  have  to  nominate  someone  to  replace  
Judas  as  a  disciple  and  then  figure  out  where  to  go  from  there.  They  didn’t  rush  out  and  
away  on  their  own;  these  disciples  took  some  time  to  regroup  and  to  figure  out  what  
comes  next…  to  wait  and  to  pray.  It  seems  like  they’re  saying,  “God,  the  next  move  is  up  
to  you.”  
The  gathered  disciples,  in  praying  and  waiting,  seem  to  realize  that  only  God  can  give  
them  what  they  need.    
We  so  often  pray  that  we  will  receive  the  Spirit,  the  kingdom,  power  and  restoration,  
that  we  receive  God’s  holy  breath…  which  may  may  seem  like  we’re  asking  for  a  lot;    but  
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as  William  Willimon  says,  it’s  the  church’s  humble  realization  that  only  God  can  give  
what  the  church  most  desperately  needs.  And  so,  the  Spirit  shows  up.  

This  isn’t  the  first  appearance  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  course.  We  hear  of  the  Holy  Spirit  
during  Jesus’  baptism  and  in  other  parts  of  the  gospels.  Luke  wins  the  “Holy  Spirit”  
badge  with  almost  sixty  references  to  the  Holy  Spirit  in  his  gospel.  These  gathered  
disciples  didn’t  have  those  references,  but  they  did  have  other  times  in  their  tradition  
when  the  Spirit  shows  up.    
During  the  creation  story  in  Genesis,  we  are  told  that  the  Spirit  of  God  swept  over  the  
face  of  the  waters;  and  also  breathes  life  into  human  beings.  That  same  Hebrew  word  
for  breath  or  spirit  is  used  when  God  drives  back  the  flood  during  the  story  of  Noah  and  
when  God  parts  the  Red  Sea  and  opens  up  the  dry  land  for  the  Israelites  to  go  across  to  
safety.  In  the  Hebrew  Bible,  wind  and  spirit  are  almost  interchangeable.  

In  the  New  Testament  we  often  hear  of  the  Spirit  as  a  dove,  and  that’s  even  the  image  
that  was  on  our  weekly  newsletter  and  when  we  came  in  to  worship  today.  At  Jesus’  
baptism  we  hear  that  the  Spirit  descended  upon  him  like  a  dove,  marking  him  as  God’s  
beloved.    
So  scripturally,  it’s  accurate.  But  I  want  to  challenge  that  image.  As  I  was  going  for  a  
walk  in  the  Louisiana  swamp  land  last  week,  I  heard  a  story  on  the  Moth  radio  hour  (a  
podcast  out  of  Boston)  that  made  me  think  differently.  A  young  man  was  telling  a  story  
of  his  dream  to  become  a  magician  and  he  was  listing  all  the  reasons  that  magicians  
should  use  doves  in  their  tricks,  instead  of  his  neighbor’s  parakeet,  which  he  regretfully  
used.  Doves  are  docile,  he  said.  They’re  quiet,  you  can  hide  them  on  your  person.  They  
don’t  mind  staying  in  dark  enclosed  spaces  for  a  long  time.  They  can  be  inside  of  your  
coat  without  making  a  peep1.  For  that  reason,  they  are  perfect  for  magic  tricks.    
Well  to  me,  that  doesn’t  sound  much  like  what  the  Holy  Spirit  is  up  to  here.  The  spirit  
not  docile,  certainly  not  quiet,  and  like  a  parakeet  might  if  you’re  trying  to  do  a  magic  
trick  with  it,  the  Spirit  shows  up  in  ways  that  we  might  not  expect…  maybe  there’s  
another  image  out  there  that’s  more  appropriate  to  the  Spirit  today.    

Pentecost  concludes  a  liturgical  cycle  that  begins  on  Ash  Wednesday,  journeys  through  
Lent,  sings  Alleluia’s  during  Easter  and  marks  the  transition  into  Ordinary  time.    
The  passage  that  Peter  quotes  from  Joel  in  this  text  from  Acts  that  is  always  used  on  
Pentecost  Sunday,  is  from  a  passage  from  the  book  of  Joel  that  is  always  used  on  Ash  
Wednesday.  This  is  a  cycle  that  starts  with  ashes,  and  ends  in  flame2.  This  brings  to  
mind  a  different  bird.    

1 http://themoth.org/posts/stories/the-magician
2Feasting on the Word, Year B, vol. 1, the Season After Pentecost. Westminster John Knox
Press, Louisville, KY, 2009.
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Many  of  you  know  that  I  am  huge  Harry  Potter  nerd  and  when  I  thought  of  ashes  and  
flames  I  couldn’t  help  but  think  of  Fawkes  the  phoenix.  Headmaster  Dumbledore’s  
great  and  majestic  bird.    
Fawkes  moves  from  ashes  to  fire,  an  ongoing  cycle  of  growing  old  and  becoming  new  
again.  One  of  my  favorite  scenes  in  the  second  book  has  12-­‐year-­‐old  Harry  sitting  in  
Dumbledore’s  office,  and  all  of  a  sudden,  an  old  decrepit  bird  in  a  cage  bursts  into  flame  
and  Dumbledore  says  “About  time,  too.  He's  been  looking  dreadful  for  days;  I've  been  
telling  him  to  get  a  move  on3.”  
If  you  haven’t  read  the  Harry  Potter  books,  know  this:  Fawkes  the  phoenix  tends  to  
show  up.  When  Harry  is  doing  battle  with  a  massive  serpent  to  save  his  friend,  Fawkes  
shows  up  and  drops  a  sword  on  his  head  that  he  uses  to  win.  When  Harry  is  mortally  
wounded,  Fawkes’  tears  heal  his  wound.  A  few  books  later,  Fawkes  swallows  a  killing  
curse  meant  for  Dumbledore,  saving  his  beloved  owner  and  turning  back  into  dust.    
I  don’t  want  to  say  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  just  like  Fawkes  the  phoenix,  but  I  think  we  can  
find  some  similarities…  especially  when  the  phoenix  just  seems  to  show  up  when  it  
needs  to.    
Because,  to  become  new,  this  first  Christian  community  had  to  be  lit  on  fire.  To  become  
whole  and  new  and  strong,  this  community  has  to  experience  the  flame;  and  in  the  
midst  of  wonder  and  confusion,  the  Spirit  shows  up.  

This  community  of  disciples  was  kind  of  a  rag-­‐tag  band  of  rebels.  They  were  united  by  
the  gospel  but  they  came  from  all  different  family  systems,  locations  and  experiences  
of  Jesus.  What  was  keeping  them  together  after  Christ  was  gone?  After  they  
experienced  so  many  emotions  before,  during  and  after  the  resurrection?    
Grief,  confusion,  loss  at  the  crucifixion;  then  three  days  later  exaltation,  joy,  relief.    

We  know  from  the  Emmaus  story  that  Roy  read  a  few  weeks  ago  that  they  were  lost  
without  Jesus,  those  two  disciples  downcast  and  heading  home,  away  from  Jerusalem,  
down  to  whatever  was  next.  Then  they  experienced  the  risen  Christ  and  ran,  tearing  
back  to  Jerusalem  to  share  the  news.  And  now  they’re  in  Jerusalem,  where  Jesus  told  
them  to  stay.    
At  the  end  of  Luke’s  gospel,  Jesus  told  the  disciples  to  preach  repentance  and  
forgiveness  of  sins  in  his  name  to  all  the  nations.  
So  now,  they  are  in  this  upper  room,  quiet,  questioning,  wondering  what  was  next.  
Jesus  left  them  with  a  big  job  to  do…  how  were  they  going  to  do  it?    

One  of  my  current  favorite  Mary  Oliver  poems  is  titled  “After  her  death,”  and  in  it  she  
writes  about  wondering  what  to  do  in  the  “after”  part  of  grief,  of  life.  She  says  in  the  
poem  “I  have  not  forgotten  the  way,  but,  a  little,  the  way  to  the  Way4.”  I  think  this  

3 Rowling, JK. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Scholastic Books, 2000.
4 Oliver, Mary. “After Her Death,” in Thirst: Poems, Beacon Press, 2007.
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might  be  how  the  disciples  felt  gathered  in  that  upper  room.  They  hadn’t  forgotten  the  
Way,  the  good  news,  the  resurrection;  but  perhaps  they  had  forgotten,  a  little,  how  to  
get  there,  how  to  share  it,  how  to  continue  on  the  Way.    
On  the  Pentecost  feast  day  they  were  probably  feeling  a  little  odd.  All  the  Jews  were  
gathered  there  to  celebrate  the  exodus  and  ten  commandments  coming  down  from  
Mount  Sinai.  But  they  are  a  group  that  still  treasures  that  heritage  and  yet  holds  it  in  
tension  with  the  new  commandment  Jesus  gave  them.  They  are  a  community  that’s  
both  connected  and  disconnected,  ancient  and  very  very  new.  Yet  on  that  Pentecost  
feast  day,  tongues  of  fire  came  down  and  their  hearts  were  opened.    
The  Spirit  showed  up.    
But  the  Spirit  didn’t  show  up  and  take  all  their  problems  away;  the  Spirit  showed  up  to  
give  them  voice,  to  give  them  courage,  to  give  them  dreams.  The  Spirit  didn’t  solve  
their  problem;  instead  they  were  given  a  new  one:  Preach,  teach,  serve,  love,  invite,  
pray;  tell  the  story.    
And  they  can  do  it.  And  so  can  we.    

On  May  10,  seven  confirmands  affirmed  their  faith  before  God  and  before  you  all,  their  
brothers  and  sisters  in  faith.  They  had  a  lot  to  say  about  the  Spirit  in  their  statements  of  
faith:  The  Holy  Spirit  empowers  us.  That  the  Spirit  guides  us,  transforms  us  and  teaches  
us;  that  the  Spirit  carries  our  prayers  into  the  hands  of  the  Lord,  connecting  our  minds  
with  Heaven.    
Peter  quotes  the  prophet  Joel  who  says  that  young  people  shall  dream  dreams  and  old  
people  shall  see  visions;  and  all  shall  see  the  glory  of  the  Lord.  Luke  always  begins  his  
books  with  a  quote  from  a  prophet,  and  in  Acts,  we  hear  that  the  Spirit  will  be  poured  
out  on  everyone:  men,  women,  young  and  old;  even  on  Gentiles,  the  ultimate  outsiders.    

Peter’s  association  of  the  Pentecost  event  with  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  foretold  by  
Joel  means  that  there  is  now  a  new  community  of  women  and  men  where  the  one  spirit  
bestows  many  gifts—on  all  people,  regardless  of  who  they  are.  As  Jurgen  Moltmann  put  
it,  “In  the  kingdom  of  the  Spirit,  everyone  will  experience  his  and  her  own  endowment  
and  all  will  experience  the  new  fellowship  together5.”  The  church  is  the  place  where  this  
new  fellowship  begins  to  take  shape  as  it  recognizes  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  in  and  for  all  
people.  To  realize  that  “all  flesh,”  all  people,  receive  the  Spirit  enables  us  to  watch  and  
participate  in  God’s  work  in  this  world  with  a  wide  open  vision.  We  live  in  eager  
anticipation  of  the  Spirit’s  work  in  our  midst  as  we  join  with  others  to  accomplish  the  
Spirit’s  progress.    

You  might  have  noticed  the  red  fabric  on  the  table  when  you  came  in.  If  you’re  a  total  
perfectionist  like  me,  you  might  have  also  noticed  that  it’s  not  totally  even,  that  there  
are  some  strings  hanging  down,  that  the  edges  are  ragged  and  it  looks  a  little  
unfinished.  Well  that’s  on  purpose.  Because  in  those  tongues  of  fire,  the  Spirit  didn't  

5 Feasting on the Word.

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start  her  work  and  she  didn’t  end  her  work  in  the  world.  The  work  of  the  Spirit  in  the  
world  is  ongoing:  forming  and  empowering  communities  to  be  more  whole  and  to  
share  the  gospel.    

I  titled  this  sermon  “the  Spirit  shows  up.”  And  that  title  flowed  right  out  of  me  on  
Tuesday  morning  when  I  sat  down  to  make  the  bulletin…  let  me  tell  you,  that  never  
happens.  Usually  Christina  is  calling  me  on  Friday  saying  “Shelby  I  need  your  sermon  
title.”  I  can  get  the  sermon  out,  but  the  title  always  seems  hard.  This  week,  though,  it  
wasn’t.  (Perhaps  I  titled  it  that  as  my  prayer,  that  after  a  week  away  and  a  lot  of  
catching  up  to  do,  that  the  Spirit  would  show  up  and  do  so  on  a  timely  basis!)  
The  Spirit  shows  up.  Isn’t  that  always  our  prayer?  Spirit,  please  show  up.    

In  all  our  changes,  in  our  transitions  from  job  or  school  or  family…  Spirit  show  up  
In  our  grief  and  loneliness;  In  our  questioning  and  wandering…  Spirit  show  up.    
In  a  hospital  room,  at  the  bedside  of  a  loved  one;  around  the  kitchen  table  after  a  big  
argument;  at  work  as  we  face  a  daunting  task…  Spirit  just  show  up.    
In  an  upper  room,  filled  with  disciples,  Spirit  show  up.    
In  a  crowd  gathered  in  confusion  and  wonder,  Spirit  show  up.  
On  this  Pentecost  day,  and  every  day,  Spirit,  show  up.    
May  it  be  so.  Amen.