“He's not like a tame lion.” So
said Mr. Beaver when describing Aslan in The Lion, the Witch, and
the Wardrobe. This quote has
been used many, many times as a way to describe God – good, but
certainly not tame. This is a perfect way to describe the Holy
Spirit today – good, but not tame.
Whereas the
gospels depicted the life of Christ, the Acts of the Apostles depict
the life of the Church. The Book of Acts has sometimes been called
the Gospel of the Holy Spirit. It is through the power of the Holy
Spirit that the Church begins to grow and move out into the world.
This isn't a
polite, genteel Spirit that discusses possible plans over tea and
crumpets. No, this is the Spirit that calmed the waters of chaos at
the beginning of creation. This is the Spirit that caused seventy
elders, along with Eldad and Medad, to prophesy among the Israelites.
This is the Spirit that drove Jesus out into the wilderness. This
is the Spirit that arrives in a rushing, violent wind bringing
tongues of fire and causing people to speak in other languages. This
is the Spirit that causes sons and daughters to prophesy, young men
to see visions, and old men to dream dreams. This is a Spirit that
is good but certainly not tame.
This Spirit is
disruptive. This Spirit will drive you to do things you wouldn't
normally have considered doing. This Spirit may cause you to talk
like you've never talked before. This Spirit doesn't necessarily
care for decency and order.
The Holy Spirit
certainly disrupted things for those twelve men gathered together on
that day. Luke doesn't tell us where they were, but there is an
implication that they were no longer hiding behind locked doors. I'm
guessing they were strategizing on how to go about being Christ's
witnesses to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the
earth. They were beginning to find their voices and openly gather in
public. And as they were beginning to sort things out, the Holy
Spirit disrupted their plans.
The noise of a
violent wind filled the house. Tongues of fire alighted on their
heads. They began speaking in different languages such that
Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, Cappodocians, Pamphylians,
and the rest, heard them speaking in their native tongues. Drunk?
No, it was only nine o'clock in the morning.
If you read last
week's Wednesday Word you'll remember that I discussed the subject of
how we in the church could talk to those outside the church in a way
they would hear us. The Spirit alighted on those twelve apostles and
allowed them to speak in tongues. That same Spirit also allowed that
mix of nationalities and languages to hear what was being said. The
Spirit not only disrupted how the apostles went about their business,
but how all those others were moved to hear them.
I want to push
against this particular image of a disruptive Spirit. It's true the
Spirit brought order out of chaos. It's true the Spirit descended
upon the seventy, along with Eldad and Medad, and led them into
ecstatic prophesying. It's true the Spirit drove Jesus into the
wilderness. It's true the Spirit came in a violent rushing wind with
tongues of fire. And there are certain Christian groups for whom
ecstatic utterances, prophesying, speaking in tongues, and being
“slain in the Spirit” are required to prove you are a Christian.
But I don't believe all that is necessary.
What does it
mean to be disrupted by the Spirit? Does it mean speaking in
tongues? Does it mean being driven out into the wilderness? Does it
mean prophesying and dreaming dreams? Does it mean being hit over
the head with a Holy 2x4? Sometimes. But if that's all we expect,
if that's all we look for, then we limit the Spirit and leave
ourselves closed off to many more possibilities. Being disrupted
means being forced to do things in a new way; whether it is a violent
rushing wind or the sound of sheer silence.
Several “for
instances” for you.
The 8 o'clock
service is being disrupted from their traditional Rite 1 service to
Rite 2, Eucharistic Prayer D, for the renewal of baptismal vows.
Will this disruption get any of those people to consider a Rite 2
service at other times, or more frequently?
The 10:15
service is being held at Leitersburg Park. This is a disruption to
their normal way of worshiping. Will that disruption get any of
those people to think about other worship alternatives?
Judy has
retired after many years of faithful service in our nursery. We are
continuing to look for several more people to fill that slot so we
can have a regular rota of attendants. Are any of you willing to be
disrupted once a month so we can offer a safe and loving environment
for our children?
This can be said
about so much more at St. John's – vestry, commissions, Micah's
Backpack, Community Cafe, dinner for eight, Sunday school, adult ed,
even financial pledging. Are we doing what is comfortable, what
we've always done, what is familiar, or are we willing to be
disrupted by the Spirit?
Being disrupted
by the Spirit doesn't necessarily mean speaking in tongues, ecstatic
utterances, or some other equally dramatic experience. It can; but I
think that is actually the exception to the rule. More often than
not, I think spiritual disruptions are those rather mundane things
(or things that others think are mundane) that get us to be stretched
and challenged in new ways – things like volunteering for nursery
duty, serving on the vestry, increasing our pledge, or any number of
small, seemingly insignificant things. If you add up all those small
disruptions, St. John's can become one, big, Spirit-led disruption.
Today is the
Feast of Pentecost. This is the day when we recognize the untamed
Spirit has appeared among us. On this day, will we allow ourselves
to be disrupted by the Holy Spirit, or are we looking for something
more tame?
Amen.
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