The Spirit Who Comes

Pentecost Sunday  May 31, 2009

(Sermons to Myself)

Acts 2:1-21;  John 15:26-27 and 16: 4-15

Romans 8:26-27;  Psalm 104: 24-35

They had been waiting and wondering for a while.  All that they had become familiar with had changed.   Their expectations regarding what it meant to be a follower of Jesus and sharing in his ministry was in flux and they had to shift gears – mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Their relationships to one another was changing.  Now they had to deal with one another in a whole new way.  Jesus wasn’t there to settle their squabbles and inquiries.  Nothing seemed certain any more, not that anything ever was certain before, but before they had somewhat of routine, some expectations that kept them on the journey.  Before, they had Jesus right there to tell them what was what and where they were going.

On that Pentecost Day following Jesus departure, I imagine that the disciples, the 11 and the many others who faithfully followed Jesus, were scared, wondering, anxious, argumentative with each other, struggling within themselves, wondering if they had made the wrong decision to give up their secure and certain life to follow Jesus and his call.  Yes, there were recent occasions when Jesus “appeared” or was “revealed” to be alive since that awful Passover weekend, what we have come to call Easter.  It wasn’t called “Easter” for them.  It was called a time of panic, doubt, sadness, disbelief, and tentative hope and joy, all at once.  Some had been visited by an alive Christ who informed them that, while he was going, he wasn’t going to leave them alone. They were to wait for further instruction that would surely come. Unplanned, with a strategy, they were entering the time in which their own transformation in the spiritual life was going to take on whole new meaning and action.  It was a time of “unknowing”.

The Pentecost story of Acts chapter 2 tells of the pouring out of the Spirit of Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God, as the faithful waited for what was to be next.  In that great event, experienced and witnessed by so very many, God swept in with a promise that enabled uncertain, frightened, anxious people, who didn’t know what they were doing, to be and do amazing things.  These followers only became what they became through the presence of God’s Spirit among them.

The writing of “Gospel according to John”, whom we assume to be the disciple John, was written perhaps 60 years after the events of Jesus’ life.  “Hind sight is always 20/20”, they say.  Looking back at life one can see more clearly the unfolding of the story and what was important.  Sometimes what was thought to be significant in the midst of experience is later realized to be not so important.  Looking back, John can remember, reflect, contemplate, and in his telling, highlight what came to be the important pieces in the journey.  After 50+ years of living life with the Spirit, John had keener insight into who this Spirit sent from Jesus, sent from the Father, was to be and do within each one’s life and within community life.

John is the one who calls the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit sent from God, the “Advocate” (NRSV).  “Parakletos” is the Greek; para meaning “with, alongside, beside, near, in the presence of”; kletos meaning “called or invited”.  John had come to know the Spirit as the One who was called to come alongside, or invited to be the very presence of God nearby, or with us. 

In the earlier long farewell discourse of Jesus (John 13-17), Jesus tells his disciples that he would not leave them alone, but would send the Advocate/Parakletos (Jn 14:15f).  This Advocate who comes alongside them in their confusion, uncertainty, and “unknowing” will come to teach or testify, to encourage, to speak the truth as the Advocate is also called “The Spirit of Truth”, will declare things to come, and will glorify Christ.  And so on the day of Pentecost, in their confusion uncertainty, and “unknowing”, while they were expectant and yet without clear expectations, the Parakletos, the Spirit of Truth blows into their lives and enables them to have the courage to step into the unknown.

The first thing that happens is that they stand up with boldness.   The Spirit, alongside, nearby, and within them and their new calling, enabled them to speak, and be understood in amazing ways.  This was not their own doing, not that they ever took credit for getting things good or right.  This was the Spirit at work in them.  They were able to “testify” or simply to tell the story of Jesus in a way that was transformative for themselves and for their hearers.  With courage they were empowered to speak the truth they had come to know.  The Spirit of Truth, the same Spirit that was in Jesus, began to be their leader, to guide them, to teach them, to make things clearer, to convince and convict them about and uncover for them, Truth.

Perhaps this Parakletos, this Spirit of Truth, proved or convicted or convinced them of their own “missing the mark” about God, or about what was and wasn’t righteous and good, or helped them to see judgment and justice in a new way, that was truer to the heart of God.  Perhaps this Spirit of Truth that came alongside of them helped them see the extent of God’s grace and peace in deeper ways.  Perhaps this Spirit of Truth helped them see more clearly, uncover their own illusions about who and what and why Jesus was.   Perhaps this Spirit of Truth helped to convince them of their own strength and abilities that previously they could not see, comprehend, nor have the courage to act upon.  Perhaps this Spirit of Truth came near to help them envision what was coming to birth in them.  And in the end, this Spirit of Truth was all about bringing God in Christ closer, deeper, truer to each and all.

The Spirit of Truth does that, it comes alongside and in truth uncovers what is really there.  Truth uncovers and takes away illusions that would convince us otherwise of what is or isn’t.  Truth opens spaces for clarity.  The Gospel writer knew this by experience.  As perhaps his own death was coming close, he wanted to remind all the rest of those, and us, who were to follow after, what this Parakletos, Advocate, Spirit of Truth, from Jesus and God was all about.  John, the disciple certainly knew and experienced this within his own life.  Trust the Spirit, the Advocate, the Parakletos.

The letter writer, Paul, lived a shorter life than John, was not one of the original followers, but had a powerful experience of being transformed by this same Spirit of Truth that came and redirected Paul’s life.  Paul, who was embedded in the institutional religious structure was knocked off his feet and set onto a new path without form.  Paul’s encounter with the Spirit, whom he called the Pnuema of God, the spirit, wind, breath, or life-giving being of God.  By his experience with Spirit, Paul knew the Spirit as the helper who came alongside him, who helped him in his weakness.  The Greek word "helps" implies that the Spirit 'takes-hold-of-so-as-to-support'.  Paul, by experience, encountered many times when he did not know exactly where to go or what to do next.  Listening for and guided by the Spirit, he went anyway.  Even when Paul didn’t know how to pray; what to say or how to be or what residing with God was about, the Spirit took hold and supported him and helped him by saying and being and residing with Paul, and with God, uniting them all.  The Spirit of Truth helped Paul uncover the things about God and himself and the world in clearly, truer ways.  Sometimes, without human words or even Spirit words, only with sighs too deep for words, the Spirit joins the heart and mind of God within.

Do you hear God’s word for today?  This Pentecost, the same Spirit that is poured out on all flesh is poured out for each one of us.  The Spirit who comes alongside, who is called to be near us, to guide and teach and instruct us about God’s truth is very close, is God’s life-giving breath within.  The Spirit tells even us of things to come, helps us to see more clearly, uncovers the truth about God as well as about ourselves.  The Spirit encourages, empowers, and speaks in our behalf especially when we feel too feeble to move, to take the next step.   Waiting, like those first disciples, we can be expectant yet without expectations of what will unfold.  Looking back at what the Spirit of Truth did then, gives hope and courage in what the Spirit of Truth is still doing if we have eyes and ears and open hearts and minds to receive this same Spirit.

 

Holy Life-Breath of God,

breathe on me and come close, alongside me.

Send out your breath, your pneuma, your truth

so I might be newly created, renewed like the spring growth,

full of life that is unfolding, blossoming,

transforming and life-giving.

Spirit of Truth, give me courage to be.

Fresh Wind of God, help me sing Love’s song.

All praise and gratitude to God, my help and strength.

 

May this meditation help me to be and do

what is mine to be and do,

and may it be pleasing to you, O Breath of God.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.

Praise to You.  (Ps.104)