Sermonette: Jan. 24, 2022

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 1:4-5)

The verses above happen after Jesus’ resurrection and before his ascension. He makes clear that what he had told them was about to happen. The Holy Spirit is coming, and in just a few days; and the Holy Spirit is a gift from the Father.

On the day of Pentecost, Jesus’ words spoken to his disciples would become visible to their eyes. The Holy Spirit, the Advocate, did show up, and in a powerful way. There was a violent wind and fire, and people began to speak in languages the Jews spoke. This was impossible, yet it was happening. This was a miracle. This was the Holy Spirit pouring out over, around, and through the people. The Holy Spirit was manifested in each person and among them as a gathered people. The community of God’s kingdom, the church, was begun.

But the people were confused about what was happening. Peter stepped up to set them straight, reminding them of the words of the prophet Joel, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” (Acts 2:17) This was indeed the prophecy fulfilled. With the event of Pentecost, the new age of the Spirit had arrived, and with the new age of the Spirit, the words of Jesus in John 14:12 are not just a nice thought. They are not just Jesus casting a unattainable vision, but actually a real and related possibility, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

In this verse from John, we see a proclamation that the Spirit’s power will dwell in us and in so dwelling, we will have the same generative power as does Jesus. John’s portrayal of the Spirit is what you might term mystical in nature. He uses words that are less easily defined by other words, unless we are using words to describe our experience of them; words like know, truth and love.

Yes these words are the most important when talking about our relationship with God through Christ, made possible by the Spirit’s presence in and among us. With this new reality, this new life, we are freed to know this God of love, and empowered with the Spirit of truth to know the truth.

And finally, as Jesus tells us in John 8:31, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

This is the work of the Spirit, then and now.