Boldness
Scripture: John 20:19-22; Acts 2:1-4
Rev. Richard H. Thompson, May 23, 2010
Acts 2:1-4:
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Since Easter we've been attempting to understand what it's like to live with the Holy Spirit, also known as the One Called Alongside to Help. Jesus said the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. We figured out that in the Bible "truth" means what's real. The Spirit of God shows us what's real about God, about Jesus, about the world we live in, and (the hardest thing) about ourselves. We saw that the Holy Spirit comes where invited and begins to do a work. Like fruit budding and growing juicy and full like a nice Red Delicious apple the character of Christ grows in us and on us-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self control. And the Spirit of God gives us "gifts" we are supposed to unwrap and use for the purpose of advancing the movement which has swept the planet ever since that first Easter.
Today is Pentecost. Based on what happened, and, I suspect, what continues to happen every day, there is another simple way to describe what it's like to live with the Holy Spirit. In a word, we experience "boldness".
I choose this word carefully. Another word that often is used is "passion". But I like boldness better. Not that there's anything wrong with passion. For the most part we love passionate people, though sometimes they do make us nervous. We can be passionate about good food, music, and special causes that move us. But I think there's a difference between passion and boldness because I suspect they draw their energy from different sources. The root of passion is "suffering". We suffer from what we lack. Our profound need, or perception of need causes us to suffer. It's why we are "compassionate". We literally "suffer with" someone else because we ourselves have lived their pain, or so we believe. There's no question this is a very powerful mover. But there is another Source that I believe is even stronger and more sustaining than passion.
It's knowing that we are loved.
Not just knowing in our heads, but deeply, in our hearts, in our lungs, in our cells and corpuscles. It's as if we are filled to overflowing. The day Suzanne first told me that she loved me I could barely believe it. We were both seniors in college in Santa Barbara. I remember riding my bike around Isla Vista as if in a dream. Wow, not only did she want to hang out with me in the library, or go get some coffee late at night, she loved me! Amazing. Incredible. It was like I became a new person. A bold man. I was ready to take on the world.
This is how love works. This is its power. To know that we are loved changes the way we look at ourselves. The cup overflows and spills out on others, including those who suffer, even if we've never had a similar experience of suffering. Love is stronger even than compassion.
Maybe that first Pentecost it was essential that all the believers were gathered in one place. Because being loved of God is not just a "solo" experience. It's what Jesus meant after he had washed his friends' feet. He said, "Love one another as I have loved you." Because when we love one another we set the stage for what the Holy Spirit wants to do in each one of us, and in us together.
There was a sound of wind "from heaven". Remember how Jesus taught us to pray? "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..." This was no gentle breeze. The description in our Bibles says, "violent wind'. Insistent, filling. Urgent, forceful, bold.
An image comes to mind:
The lifeguard scans the water. She has to look deeply, because trouble can often be hidden under all this surface activity. There! In the deep end her eyes glimpse a body sinking limp. No one else seems to have noticed. In an instant she plunges in and swims alongside this breathless soul. She takes him in a firm life saving hold and with powerful kicks brings him to the surface. There's no time to waste: with one hand she elevates his chest, with the other she pulls back his head, pinches closed his nostrils. She draws a deep breath, then she covers his mouth with hers, and forces her air into his lungs-like a mighty wind. His chest inflates. He sputters, coughing up water as he gasps like a new born baby.
Jesus is God's deep dive to come find us, wherever we are floating. His dying and rising rescues us. His Spirit administers mouth to mouth, God's Pentecost breath in our lungs, resuscitating us, regenerating us. Maybe we cough, sputter and gasp. However it comes we breathe. It's as if each breath is a gift. It is good to be alive. We are grateful. Thankful. The Bible has a word for this. It's called "salvation".
This is where "boldness" comes from.
That first Pentecost boldness took the form of speech in at least fifteen different languages and dialects. Not ecstatic speech called "tongues" that needs interpreting, but "tongues" Jews from all over the Diaspora could understand. Jews, the people of Abraham who two thousand years before (four thousand years before today) heard God make a promise, that in him all the families of the earth would be blessed. No matter their language.
That first Pentecost ordinary people, filled with the power of the risen Christ's love, couldn't seem to contain themselves. So the word went out to family, neighbor, stranger and friend. Because the Holy Spirit insists.
We talk a lot about "discerning" the Holy Spirit in our lives. I suspect the Spirit of God is "pro-active"-in favor of action. One person can have a feeling, even a strong feeling of His presence. Another may have those kinds of feelings as well, but then there is also a kind of "nudge", or "urging", even of being shoved. I see it all the time.
I have a friend here at WPC who has battled a long time with illness. Her body has not cooperated with her heart. I shared with her recently that our friend Norita Erickson was coming to WPC to talk about her ministry with children with disabilities in Turkey. Know what she said? She said, "I want to go!" It made me laugh. That's the Holy Spirit at work in her. So no surprise her illness has not stopped her. Instead she uses her telephone to help others find a home here at WPC. The Holy Spirit at work in her life is a source of inspiration to very many of us here at WPC.
Another brother in Christ senses a leading to plunge into places of great suffering to help tell the story so the world wakes up and takes notice of what's going on under the surface. Another uses art to share his hope and joy. Another is a prayer warrior. Others see to logistics so that mission work is supplied in challenging places. Still others train carefully to become good listeners and friends to those who feel like they are floating away unnoticed. If you begin looking you can see the Spirit moving people to engage, to start, to give themselves away.
In very material ways. Let me give you a specific illustration. Some weeks ago our elders stood before you to share the State of the Church-this church, WPC. They said that we are at a crossroads. The ministries of WPC have continued to grow in depth and extension over the last five years but the financial support in the same period has remained relatively flat. So we're at a crucial point. A moment of truth. So I called upon every person who considers WPC their spiritual home to do three things: First to STUDY the Scriptures on how God builds in us a generous Spirit. Second, if you have not done so, to START making a written financial commitment to support these ministries however the Lord leads you. This is a very personal decision and I strongly believe Holy Spirit prompted action. Third, if you have already started giving, to STEP UP your giving in two ways. One to increase what you give and second to accelerate your giving if you are able into the first half of this year.
Because the Holy Spirit is "pro-active", there will always be evidence of the Spirit's work. It's time for you to hear some results. As of Friday, 42 families who had not previously made written financial commitments have now done so. In addition, 45 other families have STEPPED UP. 107 families and individual members and friends have acted, including some of our students. Our elders tell me we are close to half way to where we need to be to meet the challenges in the rest of this year. Praise God! We are on our way!
But what if we don't feel bold? The truth is we are all works in process. We are all learning how loved we are of God. We are all discovering our freedom from fear of what might happen to us if we take a first step. That fear might be of what others think of us. Truth be told often we are more bold for others than we are for the One who has rescued us. It's a matter of taking that first step. Acting. So giving money is a defiant act that says, "I want to be more bold for Christ than for anyone or anything else." Giving money doesn't just challenge the grip possessions have on us. Giving also connects us with the movement that began that first Easter. We begin to see what can be done. It gets exciting. We begin to feel. ..emboldened.
We see that we're in this together. We encourage each other!
But I suspect we often negotiate with ourselves whether to share our experience of having been rescued. Because we're not sure if this person we're with would be receptive. Because, let's face it, we live in skeptical, even cynical times. The name of "Jesus" is evoked for strange reasons and ways. You just don't talk about "religion". Keep it on the surface. But what if we look beneath the surface? What's really going on? In my experience if you scratch the surface on anyone there's a lot going on underneath where few ever care to look. What if that's where the Holy Spirit wants to go? What if the Holy Spirit wants to do a deep dive, and do a rescue? This isn't about "religion". This is about the hope that is within you and me. It's about being able to breathe. It's about being alive.
How has God loved you?
What's your story?
Who might like to hear it?
Take a deep breath [BREATHE IN]
The Spirit of God is with you.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
be bold.
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