In some of the churches I served, Pentecost
worship services included a time with a group of blessed and energetic kids. From
time to time, I introduced Pentecost as the birthday of the church. Occasionally,
I even lead the kids in a heartfelt though off-key rendition of “Happy birthday
to you.” Within this metaphor of a birthday party, we might understand some of
the issues and challenges of these Pentecostal Scriptures.
Before we go to that party,
we need to step outside for a moment and see how Acts 2:1-21 and John 20:19-23
each tell their own story of Jesus giving the Spirit to the disciples. The
church sometimes refers to the latter as “the Johannine Pentecost,” but this
designation subtly imposes Luke’s category (Pentecost) on the Fourth gospel.
Indeed, by adopting the name “Pentecost” for this day, the church gives Luke’s
theology of the Spirit an elevated status.
For Luke, the coming of the
Spirit has multiple dimensions. It is a sign that the last days are underway.
At the same time, Luke believed that Jesus’ return (and the final and full
manifestation of the Kingdom of God) would be delayed, so God poured the Spirit
into the church to sustain the community through the wait and to empower the
community to witness to the Kingdom through preaching, giving testimony before
legal authorities, living together in community, working miracles, and doing
other things that demonstrate the presence and future of the Kingdom. On
Pentecost Day itself the ability of people from different languages and
cultures to understand and support one another was a foreshadowing of the great
reunion of the human family that would be part of the world to come.
For John, the Spirit is the
continuing presence of Jesus with the Johannine synagogue. The Spirit will
enable the Johannine community not only to continue the ministry of Jesus but
to extend that ministry. Just as the world opposed Jesus and harassed him, so
the world will oppose the Johannine congregation, but the Spirit will sustain
the congregation. The Spirit will continue to teach the community as Jesus
taught them when he was incarnate (John 14:25-31).
The representations of the
Spirit in Acts and John aren't contradictory, but they are different enough
that they can’t simply be merged. The differences suggest that the congregation
must come to its own perception of the presence and work of the Spirit, and how
to respond appropriately.
Now, let’s head back to the
party. First, how long has God been planning it? The poetry of Genesis 1
describes God’s creative spirit blowing over the formless void, and Genesis 2 recounts
the life-giving breath of God. Later, the spirit appears in times of darkness
and distress. While the one group of people of God sits in exile in Babylon and
others gather the pieces of the shattered world of Israel, the prophet Isaiah
promises the coming of one upon whom this spirit shall rest, the spirit of
“wisdom and understanding,” of “counsel and might,” of “knowledge and the fear
of YHWH.” During the time of domination and abuse by the Roman Empire,
oppression and judgment of the religious authorities, and elitism and slavery
of the ruling classes, Luke records John’s promise of one who will baptize by
the Spirit, and Jesus later agrees: “…you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit
not many days from now” (Acts 1:5).
In the extensive planning of
this Pentecost party, the spirit of YHWH weaves together the generations
through a Spirit that brings life out of death, hope out of despair. Folks
sitting in their pews recognize the darkness and distress of their world. As we
witness the growing gap between the rich and the poor, growing manifestations
of poverty and unchecked disease, growing divisions between nations and within
economies, and growing intolerance of any opinion or ideal other than our own,
we celebrate our glimpses of the work of that Spirit, and we await again
blowings of that fresh and life-giving Spirit.
After this long period of preparation,
YHWH’s guest list to this Pentecostal party deserves attention. Who are the
“they” (2:1) who wait expectantly in the upper room? Is the party limited to
the eleven male disciples listed in Acts 1:13? Does the party also include
“certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus,” mentioned in Acts 1:14?
Might other men and women who joined Jesus throughout his ministry be present?
In essence, the question of God’s guest list raises the question of whether
these Pentecostal disciples who become apostles are a fairly homogeneous group
of narrow representation or whether they are a larger group embodying a whole
lot more diversity in gender and culture.
These questions become
important as churches and denominations continue sometimes heated and divisive
conversations about who may and who may not faithfully worship and serve in
leadership positions. The interpreter’s understanding of this guest list might
shed light on the conversation about the inclusiveness or exclusiveness of what
John Calvin called the “priesthood of all believers.”
As with many birthdays past
a certain age, this one includes a limitless number of smiles and joy,
questions and regret by participants and observers. At the beginning of the
story, one can imagine the disciples moping in their state of abandonment, not
for the first time. They walk with Jesus for up to three years before the evil
powers steal him on the cross. Then, through the miracle of resurrection he
reappears and walks again with them, only to abandon them at the ascension. Now
they wait, disappointed again.
As the story progresses, we
can sense a feeling of jealousy and inadequacy creeping into the questions of
the “devout Jews” (v. 5), who wonder why they aren't invited guests at this
party. We also understand the tension of the “crowd gathered” (v. 6), as they
experience with awe and cynicism the sudden fluency of these brothers and
sisters. By the end, the disciples face the uncertain future of ministry in an
unwelcoming world separated from one another and from the bodily presence of
Jesus. In the midst of the wilderness of these celebrations, these folks live
the fear of transitions begun and changes realized. Some of you know this fear.
You mourn the loss of the church as it was, the community as it used to be, the
conventional family you once knew, or the unbroken stability you once loved. Getting
older comes with fear and trembling, and we all experience that.
Finally, after the
preparations and the guest invitations, after the mourning and sense of loss,
we celebrate that at this party folks take away some unbelievable gifts. Some
of these disciples have been training for this time for up to three years as we
learn by their mistakes and Jesus’ example, through the challenge of parables
told and crosses to be borne. Now this birthday party has the feel of a
graduation party. The promise of the Spirit is finally fulfilled, and we
receive their authentic voices, with which we will enter an unwelcoming world
preaching and living the love of Jesus.
This story spurs us to find
the Spirit within us and to locate, claim, and utilize our true voices, gifts,
and skills with which to love and serve. But, we cheapen the Spirit and her
gifts if we reduce them to dwelling exclusively within the individual. That
Spirit has been loosed into the world, and its creative and life-giving power
is now the gift of families and communities, of churches, and of nations. The
relevant question becomes not just “How will I respond to these party gifts of
the Spirit?” but “How will we respond to the gifts of God we come across in all God's creatures?”[1]
[1] Bender,
D. M. (2011). Pastoral Perspective on Acts 2:1–21. In D. L. Bartlett & B.
B. Taylor (Eds.), Feasting on the Word:
Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year A (Vol. 3, pp. 14–18).
Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press.
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