Emphasis Preaching Journal

Acts 2:1-21
"Like a wildfire." That's how Eugene Peterson describes the Pentecost tongues of fire, in his Bible paraphrase, The Message. Residents of countless California communities know firsthand the awe-inspiring power of wildfires. They've lived it, as they've fought to protect their homes from wind-whipped brush fires.

It seems, at first glance, a peculiar word to use to describe a religious gathering. Yet, this is no typical religious gathering. Wildfires are chaotic -- and that's an accurate word to use to describe the effect the Holy Spirit has on those Christ-believers gathered in Jerusalem.

Yet, wildfires are also transformative. In a matter of minutes, they can sweep away all manner of comfortable certainties. What remains in their wake is a nearly blank canvas on which to paint the new thing God is creating.

Acts 2:1-21
Several years ago Albert was on a flight from Egypt to South Africa. As the crew prepared the airplane for take off, a verse from the Koran appeared on the monitors. It was a prayer asking God for a safe arrival to their destination.

Someone sitting near Albert began chanting the verse. A few seats behind him he noticed a young man making the sign of the cross, praying for a safe trip. "Two different people, a Muslim and a Christian," Albert reflects, "were expressing their reliance on God by praying for a safe journey." This was truly a special moment, as he thought about how God was watching over the flight and all the passengers.

When the Day of Pentecost arrived there were people from all nations gathered in Jerusalem. The Spirit descended dramatically upon all the believers. The first gift of the Spirit was speech, propelling the believers out into the street to proclaim the word of God. Through the gift of speech people heard the apostles speak in their own native language, telling of the wonderful things God was doing. That day all cultural differences were erased -- they were truly all children of God.

Acts 2:1-11
In July 2008, youth from all over the world converged on Sydney, Australia, for World Youth Day, an event of the Roman Catholic church. Walking through the crowd it was not hard to imagine what the people at Pentecost felt. In Sydney, one saw people of every color, heard languages from every corner of the earth, and witnessed the dress of many different cultures. The amazing thing about the connection between Pentecost and World Youth Day 2008 was the theme: "You Will Receive Power when the Holy Spirit Comes Upon You and You Shall be My Witnesses."

One truly felt back on the streets of Jerusalem circa AD 33.

Romans 8:22-27
What is it about humans that makes us so dependent on the idea of hope? Hope is unrealistic. It's ridiculous. And yet, without it we could not continue to wake up every morning.

Take the example of the parents of a teenage daughter diagnosed with manic depression. The teenager swings between lethargic, heartbreaking lows and hyperactive, dangerous highs. Her case is severe; her highs and lows are close together and leave her family frightened and exhausted. Each time the girl's parents go to the psychologist, they listen to the doctor's grave predictions.

"But yesterday was better," the girl's mother said. "I think that in a few months she may be back to the girl we remember."

The doctor shakes his head. "You've been saying that for almost a year now," he gently reminds them.

But at the next visit, her parents say the same thing. They need that glimmer of hope in their lives, no matter how unrealistic it seems. If they can hope that things will work out all right, they can have the patience to wait for that day to come.

Romans 8:22-27
One Sunday morning in late spring the day was so beautiful that instead of driving to worship I walked the one and a half miles to the church building. As I enjoyed the early morning, I suddenly heard a "whoosh, whoosh," above me and looked up to see three hot air balloons floating behind me. They were hardly 200 feet above me and seemed to be following me. In fact, they caught up with me and passed me with their occasional "whoosh, whoosh," the occupants looking down on me from their charmed perspective.

What a wonderful way to attend worship on Pentecost! God is right now overtaking us with a sudden, windy rush of the Spirit to equip us for our ministry in the church. And the rushing WHOOSH of God's mighty wind will lift us into a wholly new perspective on life.

Romans 8:22-27
Have you ever wanted something so badly that you could "taste" it? Something of such perceived value that you would give almost anything to have it? This very longing describes God's feelings about our wholeness in God's own image. The gift of God's Spirit more than anything else is the presence of God's love that agonizes for our wholeness.

Today's reading in Acts announces the Holy Spirit's coming, and in Romans the apostle Paul explains more fully our lives with God's Spirit. The good news of this passage is God's yearning for our wholeness. The Spirit affirms God's presence in our lives, groaning and yearning and longing for our wholeness in God's likeness.

Even when prayer slips easily from our lips, Paul confesses that we do not know how we are to pray and need guidance in this weakness. He seems to be referring to our problem of understanding the will of God. The Holy Spirit intercedes for us "with sighs too deep for words ... according to the will of God."

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
In old Hawaii, there was once a settlement called Kalaupapa for people with leprosy. Getting into Kalaupapa required something very much like a one-way ticket. Once you entered that community, you were never allowed to leave.

Sometimes, a new arrival would be accompanied by a friend or family member known as a kokua. There was a steep cost to anyone who accepted such a role -- for, just as with the lepers, that person could never leave Kalaupapa. Those who chose the difficult role of a kokua were, for all practical purposes, giving up their lives for the other person, to companion them forever.

When those who translated the Bible into Hawaiian were casting around for a word to capture the meaning of the Greek word parakletos, as John uses it -- advocate, helper, or comforter -- they chose kokua.

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Anne was looking forward to attending a women's conference in another town. Several of her friends from church would be traveling together to this event. Anne knew with the line up of speakers that the conference would be great.

The conference was everything that Anne anticipated. Her spirit soared as she listened to other women share their experience of faith.

On Sunday morning Anne and her friends attended a downtown church of a different denomination. She enjoyed the opportunity to worship with Christians from another faith tradition. She claims it gave her a greater perspective, which we could all benefit from time to time.

The highlight of the service was when the congregation moved to the altar for communion. As the bread and juice were given, Anne was deeply moved. The pastor said to each person, "the body of Christ, broken for you," and "the blood of Christ, shed for you." Anne looked at the faces of the people kneeling at the altar and realized that they were "my brothers and sisters in Christ."

At that moment she thought about her home church and the recent struggles that divided the congregation. There are times when as sisters and brothers in Christ we may disagree over all sorts of things, but she says, "When we remember and obey Jesus' command to love one another, we are the church."

Jesus was meeting with his beloved disciples. He knew he would not be with them as he had been, and he also knew that proclaiming the faith would not be easy. He promised them the Holy Spirit would be present with them giving them strength and leading them into all truth. "When the Spirit of truth comes," Jesus told his friends, "he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come."

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Mr. Evans was the school's guidance counselor. And he was very good at his job. A young confused student entered his office one day. "I just don't know what I want to be," the student said in desperation.

Mr. Evans set up a schedule of meetings. He ran a few tests that assessed the youth's abilities and interests. They talked about life, the student's family, and his social interests. One day Mr. Evans said, "Here are a couple of options." The student was horrified to see that one of those options was ordained ministry -- the furthest thing from cool to high school student. But the student followed Mr. Evans' advice, entered college for a BA, and while at school, felt the call of God to ordained ministry (with a few Jonah moments thrown in for good measure). The youth (not so youthful anymore) has now been ordained for 25 years.

The Holy Spirit is our guidance counselor. The Spirit gently leads us to where God would have us go and to whom God would have us speak. If you think Mr. Evans did a good job, well, the Spirit is infinitely better!

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
One of the most privileged tasks of a minister is to be a counselor. It can also be one of the most painful and frustrating because unlike other counselors and therapists, the pastor has already formed relationships with most of the people he or she counsels.

Take Fred. Fred came for counseling about a marital problem. Seems that Fred had fallen in love with another woman and wanted counseling as to how to break his relationship with his wife of fifteen years. Fred and his wife, Judy, were very active in the church, volunteering their time to serve on committees, work with youth, and take leading roles at worship. Judy was also best friends with the pastor's wife. How does one counsel in a spirit of truth? How does one talk of righteousness, sin, and judgment? How does one perform the role of advocate?

One can't help but sympathize with God's counselor, who is sent to work with us. As the Spirit tries to lead us into all truth, we often seek another path. Thankfully, God's advocate never gives up on us.