Sermon for Pentecost, Commonly called Whitsunday, 2021

Bob Derryberry was one of my mentors in college. He was ancient by the time I became his student—a legend in that part of the country for his work in Communications, specifically Speech and Debate. He used to call me Pastor Tony. One thing that he would often say when critiquing speeches was, “Say something! Choose one thing to say and say it!” By and large, I’ve taken his advice. Most things are communicated better when they aren’t cluttered by other competing points. BUT, Dr. Derryberry never had to preach on Pentecost Sunday. With a central text like Acts 2, there is just too much to say. So, this morning I’m going to give a brief overview of the significances of Pentecost.

Before we get started, some particulars. I want to make sure you know what I’m talking about when I say “Pentecost.” Pentecost celebrates the sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. After the Ascension, the Church waited in Jerusalem. One day as they were gathered together, flames of fire broke from heaven and rested above the heads of the apostles. People spoke the Gospel in the languages of the people around them, even without knowing those languages themselves. A spirit of repentance descended on the people so that 3,000 men and their households were baptized and added to the Church. We call this day Pentecost because it happened on the Jewish feast of Pentecost.

Pentecost is the culmination of the Christian Year. Upon first glance, this might simply appear to be a cool event. “Oh! Flames of fire, strong wind, other tongues, mass conversion… That’s neat! I like that story.” But Pentecost is more than a story in the Bible. It is the culmination of the Christian Year. We started the Sacral Cycle in the Calendar with Advent, then Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Passiontide, Easter, Ascension, and now Pentecost. After Pentecost is the long season of Trinity, then we restart with Advent. So, as we contemplate the mystery of our salvation in Jesus Christ, Pentecost comes last. Naturally, it serves as the resolution or culmination of what has gone before.

So having discussed the details of what happened at Pentecost, and having put it in the context of the Church Calendar, I’d like to give 5 meanings of Pentecost.

First, Pentecost fulfills the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai. Pentecost means “50 days” after Passover. The Hebrews after the Exodus went to Mt. Sinai and celebrated the first Passover. 50 days later, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments written on tablets of Stone. The feast of Passover celebrated this giving of the Law. But though the writing of the Law on tablets of stone is wonderful and worthy of celebration, it was not enough to cure man’s sick soul. The Law needed to be written on man’s heart, as Ezekiel says, “And I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh.” And later, “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts.” On the same day that the Jews celebrated the giving of the stone tablets of the Law, the Holy Spirit began to engrave the Ten Commandments upon the hearts of God’s people. Now we can truly keep it! Pentecost is the fulfillment of the giving of the Law at Mt. Sinai.

Second, Pentecost reverses the Tower of Babel. In Genesis 11, mankind bands together against God, building a tower of their own to reach the heavens. God confuses their speech so that they cannot understand one another. It splits mankind into separate groups. God does this because after the Fall, the solution to our Problem was not for all people to come together as one. It sounds nice. The Beatles sung about it. But the problem with humanity was deeper than a lack of teamwork, it was a disease of the heart. As we have seen, on Pentecost, God gave the Spirit which remade the heart. He solved the root of the problem, so He lifts the curse of disunity. For this brief moment and several times since, God miraculously translates the differing languages of the earth so that men can come together, not around a Tower of their own making, but around Jesus Christ who ascended into the highest realm of heaven. Pentecost reverses the Tower of Babel.

Third, Pentecost continues the Incarnation. I’ll read you the paragraph for this Sunday from Farrer, “PENTECOST is not the feast of the Holy Ghost, it is the feast of his descent upon us.  The Son of God came down and was made man in the womb of Mary.  The Holy Ghost came down and was made human in the souls of Christians.  When Jesus was ripe for birth, he left Mary's womb, to grow up and be himself.  He outgrew first her womb and then her lap, first her protection, last her person and her mind.  But as the Holy Ghost grows in us, it is not he but we who grow.  He does not grow up and leave us behind, we grow up into him.” Pentecost continues the Incarnation.

Fourth, Pentecost proves peace between God and Man. This from St. Chrysostom, “As in a long war it happens; when the war is ended, and peace concluded, Pledges and Hostages are mutually sent, both as tokens of, and securities for, the mutual agreement and peace: so was it betwixt God and Man. After our Lord Jesus had ended the long war betwixt God and Man, and finished the reconciliation, he sent up, or rather he carried up himself, our Hostage, our flesh and nature ennobled by the union with his Divine Person, as a royal pledge to his Father: on the other side, God sent this day his royal Hostage, his Holy Spirit, a security for our future peace.” Pentecost proves peace between God and Man.

Fifth, Pentecost establishes the Church as the candle of the World. God sent flames of fire to rest on the heads of the Apostles because they as the pillars of the Church would serve as witness to the Great Light of the World, Jesus Christ. We all share in this apostolic witness. We all shed this Light because we are baptized into the One, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. It is with reference to Pentecost and the vocation to serve as a candle to the world, that bishops in succession from the Apostles wear mitres, tall hats in the shape of a candle or flame. It is with Pentecost in mind and the sending of fire upon the Apostles that the Church plans an Ember Week during Pentecost Week. An Ember Week is a Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday where God’s people pray particularly for their clergy, that the fire or Ember that was lit on Pentecost would never go out, but would be sustained by the steady breathe of God. It is with reference to the Church as candle or Light that Pentecost receives its other name: Whitsunday. Baptisms are common on Pentecost and those seeking Baptism where bright white clothes showing that they receive the fire of Holy Ghost and are made bright and pure by God’s grace. Pentecost establishes the Church as the candle of the World.

Many of you are here today to see the baptism of Andrew Girard. There is hardly anything more beautiful than the baptism of an infant. When you see how great and multi-faceted our salvation is, and to think that all of that is accomplished in a baby! It is the best display that salvation is only by Grace. It is gift. On Pentecost, God rained down the gift of His Holy Spirit on the Church. Then 3,000 were included in that gift by Baptism. Baptism takes the great mystery and complexity of the Gospel and directs it toward an individual. Lest the great significances of Pentecost be lost in your minds, I’d like to tell you how they apply to the newest member of the Church: Andrew Girard. And, of course, as you hear them, remember that these are true for all who are baptized and abide in Christ.

First, Andrew now has the Law of God written on his heart. His nature is different than it was this morning. The same fire that rested on the Apostles’ heads cauterized upon his heart, “Holiness to the Lord.” Now, the Law which we recite in the Liturgy is united to his conscience by the power of the Spirit. He can still deny it, and will from time to time. But he has God’s law written on his heart.

Second, Andrew is a part of the great fellowship of the world. The Church is the only true unity of mankind in the world because we are the only ones for whom God has reversed the curse of Babel. Andrew never has to be alone. He has millions of brothers and sisters in the Lord. He is a member of a people who ever Sunday ascend high into heaven as a people unified in Christ.

Third, Andrew now has God living within him. When he is a little older and prays at night before bed, there actually is the whisper of God within him. God is very near, energizing him, teaching, convicting, and comforting him.

Fourth, Andrew is at peace with God. Jesus has a human body right now, and is sitting with the Father. The Father loves everything about His Son, even His humanity. When God sees Jesus, He is reminded of Andrew. And because Andrew has the Holy Spirit living within Him, it also true that when the Father sees Andrew, He sees Himself, too. Thus, there is more than peace. There is adoption and love.

And lastly, Andrew is pure, strong, and bright in the Spirit. He is filled with the fire of God. Not only has God changed his heart, Andrew has within him a mighty power, the same Spirit that enabled the Church to witness to the Resurrection with all boldness and without hindrance.

All this is true of Andrew Girard by virtue of His Baptism. And all this is true of those who abide in their Baptism. And so I leave you with this blessing. May the Holy Spirit redraw God’s Law on your heart. May the Holy Spirit bind you with your brothers and sisters in Christ. May the life of God continue to grow in you that you might have peace and power to be a shining witness to the Gospel. Amen.