Pentecost Year C

I'm going to begin this morning with a parable first told by Brian McLaren:

Once upon a time in the land of boredom and drudgery, exciting news began to spread. “There is going to be a race! And everyone who participates in that race will grow strong, and they will never be bored again.” Exciting news like this had not been heard for many years. Anticipation grew as the day of the race drew near. Thousands of people gathered at the starting line. Most came just to observe, skeptical about the news. But others could not resist the invitation, arriving in their running shoes and shorts. They waited for the appointed time, stretching, jogging in place. Finally the time arrived and they took their places on the starting line. The gun went off and everyone knew it was time to run.

Then something very curious happened. The runners took a step, or two, or three across the starting line, and then abruptly stopped. On man got down on his knees and began to sing a song about how happy this day was for him. Another woman started jumping for joy, pumping her fists in the air she yelled, “Yes! I’m a race runner!” And she ran around giving other race runners a high five. Several people formed a circle and prayer, quietly thanking God for the privilege of crossing the starting line, and thanking God that they were not like the skeptics who didn’t come dressed for the race.

An hour or so passed. The onlookers began to mutter, “So what do they think this race is? Two or three strides then a celebration? They are treating the starting line as though it were a finish line. They have completely missed the point! “You know,” one spectator said to the other, “if they aren’t going to run, maybe we should.” Others heard her and began to kick off their dress shoes and slide out of their jackets. And they ran – passed the praying huddles, the kneeling criers, and the jumping high fivers. They found hope and joy in each step, and they grew stronger with every mile and hill. To their surprise, the path never ended – because in this journey, there was no finish line.

Our text for today depicts another group of people on their own journey. Jews were gathered together celebrating. Pentecost was a major festival in the Jewish calendar. In the Bible it is called the Festival of Weeks. It is a celebration somewhat like our Thanksgiving, with people gathering to give thanks to God for the harvest. Jews from all over the world were gathered together in one place. They had a shared faith but very different languages.

The disciples are there too. They are doing as they were told. They had been ordered not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the Holy Spirit. As the disciples gathered together there was a rush of violent wind and tongues of fire rested on each of them and then were given the ability to speak in other languages. Suddenly an entire mission field opened to them. All around them were Jews from many nations. The world is literally there in the disciple’s back yard.
So, Peter takes this opportunity to address the crowd. This man who once was not able to even bring himself to admit that he knew who Jesus was – now he was standing before a large crowd, telling everyone about the coming reign of God. We do not have a record of most of what Peter said that day, and it is too bad because he must have preached one of the most effective sermons ever. The sermon only lasted about three minutes, and yet a few thousand people were convicted by the sermon and asked to be baptized.
The Holy Spirit descended at Pentecost, making ordinary people into preachers.
Pentecost wasn’t just a one time thing. It wasn’t just for the disciples. The Holy Spirit has been promised to all of us. But tomorrow, when you get into the classroom, the office, or over the kitchen table, preaching can be more difficult. Nevertheless, by the grace of God, you are able to preach. As Peter says in today’s scripture, “All of this was predicted by the Prophet Joel. In former days, God’s Word was spoken only by the Prophets, a few charismatic individuals who are called to speak the truth, to speak up for God.” But the Prophet Joel foretold a day when God will pour out the Spirit on all, upon the young and the old, upon women and men, farmers and teachers, everybody. Everybody is going to get to tell of the mighty works of God.”
That promised outpouring of the Spirit, that turns otherwise quiet people who are not good on their feet into preachers, has now occurred. The Spirit is being poured out, and great is the company of the preachers who go forth into the world to speak.

I have spent the last year here with you as your preacher. But over the year I have been privileged to hear you preach as well. I have seen you collect canned goods for the hungry. I have seen you gather around your hurting brothers and sisters and uphold them in their times of need. I have seen you arrive early, stay late, and do those little things that you don’t think anyone would ever notice. The promise . . . and the challenge of Pentecost is that we keep on going, understanding that we have only crossed the starting line. We've started on a journey that will last our entire lives. And it is a journey that we do not take alone. Each step that we take, each hill that we climb, God will be with us - giving us words to speak and strength to be God's preachers in the world. Thanks be to God. Amen.