Preacher: Rev. Nate Hosler

Scripture: John 14:8-17, 25-27; Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

Today we mark Pentecost—the coming of the Comforter-Helper-Advocate—to the disciples. Having come in power, the Holy Spirit empowers and compels the disciples to go out and continue to the work of Jesus. Today we read our scripture passages and reflect. There will be some framing comments, the reading, and then some questions. I invite you to listen (or read) slowly and watch for the leading of the Spirit

John 14:8-17, 25-27 

“Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these”

Do greater works… Do greater works than Jesus?

[Pause] Do greater works, how? Jesus fed the 5000 with a single lunch. Multiplying bounty from virtually nothing. He cast out demons. Even if the narrated demon possessions were “merely” severe mental health symptons it is no simple feat.  

The flow of the passage is thus:

Disciple- “Show us the Father.” 

Jesus- How do you ask this? If you have seen me, you have seen the Father.

I and the Father are one

At least, minimally, believe in me due to the works I do. 

You will do greater works

Ask in my name and you will receive

If you love me keep commandments

The Father will send another Advocate/ Comforter /Helper

You will do “greater works than Jesus” read in our context this runs the high likelihood that we will think we need to do more, work harder, figure it out to get ahead. This can be personally, professionally, or as a church. If we master a technique or “put in the time,” get the right credential, we will “do greater things.” 

Recently, I picked up Peter Rollins’ How (not) to Speak about God. He challenges the need for certainty and final answers in theology and church. While we cannot speak a final word about God we must keep speaking.  At first, I was like, “Yeah, I feel that this is approximately where I’m at.” I feel pretty comfortable with theological ambiguity and am not too concerned by uncertainty. Then I realized that while I am fairly comfortable with theological or spiritual ambiguity, I still yearn for certainty on other fronts. I want to know that this congregation and ministry will continue.

 I want the years of work to result in institutional and community vitality. I’ve often felt that if we can define this or leverage that, that we can figure it out. If I’m being a bit hard on myself I might say that welhat I really want is for Jesus to give me a “greater works than I” endorsement on LinkedIn. 

The relief of the passage is that Jesus’ metrics are different. His measurement is different and his preparation plan is different. He doesn’t leave the disciples, the emerging Jesus-movement to figure it out or implement a plan, he promises them the Advocate, Helper, Comforter—the indwelling of the Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity to come and somehow fill them and empower them—empower us.

I can breathe and listen. I can take a breath and walk. The Spirit has come and will come. 

How is Jesus inviting you to be with the Spirit?

How is the Spirit leading us to walk in trust?

In what way can you rest into the Spirit’s presence?

Acts 2:1-21

The Gospels of Matthew and John conclude with some form of teaching or sending. Matthew ends with the “Great Commission.” A sending of the disciples in anticipation of the absence of Jesus. The Gospel of John, from which we read today, ends with Jesus and Peter speaking and Jesus reinstating of Peter after Peter’s betrayal of Jesus. 

The Gospel of Mark ends with a commissioning and Jesus’ ascending into heaven. However, the text is bracketed because some of the oldest manuscripts do not include this ending. The Gospel of Luke, which is often considered the first volume of a two-volume work which includes Acts, includes the ascension of Jesus. Interestingly, Acts, or Part 2, opens with a somewhat extended version of this ascension. 

Jesus’ departure sets the stage for today. Jesus, the leader, the founder of this movement, is no longer present. Without their leader, the reason for them being a thing, is gone. 

The disciples return to Jerusalem in both accounts. In Luke they, “worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and they were continually in the temple blessing God.” In Acts they return to the room upstairs where they were staying and were “constantly devoting themselves to prayer.” For the remainder of chapter 1 they go about filling the hole in the group left by the departure of Judas—the one who betrayed Jesus. In this context, our passage picks up: 

[light candles while reading] (this is the picture included with the post)

2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² 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. ³ Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

⁵ Now there were devout Jews from every people under heaven living in Jerusalem. ⁶ And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. ⁷ Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” ¹² All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

¹⁴ But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Fellow Jews^[a] and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. ¹⁵ Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. ¹⁶ No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

¹⁷ ‘In the last days it will be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
    and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
    and your old men shall dream dreams.
¹⁸ Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
    in those days I will pour out my Spirit,
        and they shall prophesy.
¹⁹ And I will show portents in the heaven above
    and signs on the earth below,
        blood, and fire, and smoky mist.
²⁰ The sun shall be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood,
        before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.
²¹ Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place:

How have you experience God through community?

What types of community space might help us better listen for God’s leading?

Their speaking is used to tell “about God’s deeds of power.” 

How have you experienced God’s deeds of power? 

Where can you see God in the simple beauty around you?

Psalm 104:24-34, 35b

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

²⁴ O Lord, how manifold are your works!
    In wisdom you have made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.
²⁵ There is the sea, great and wide;
    creeping things innumerable are there,
    living things both small and great.
²⁶ There go the ships
    and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

²⁷ These all look to you
    to give them their food in due season;
²⁸ when you give to them, they gather it up;
    when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
²⁹ When you hide your face, they are dismayed;
    when you take away their breath, they die
    and return to their dust.
³⁰ When you send forth your spirit,^[a] they are created,
    and you renew the face of the ground.

³¹ May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
    may the Lord rejoice in his works—
³² who looks on the earth and it trembles,
    who touches the mountains and they smoke.
³³ I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
    I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him,
    for I rejoice in the Lord.^35b
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!