NOTE FROM PASTOR JR FOR SUNDAY, MAY 28, 2023
This Sunday we observe two occasions, one liturgical and the other secular. Liturgically we will observe Pentecost Sunday and remember the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on that first Day of Pentecost after the resurrection. Secularly, we will note it is Memorial Day Weekend. A time of honoring those who have given their lives while serving in the military; but for many it’s simply thought of as the unofficial beginning of summer.
In the very familiar assigned text for Pentecost from Acts 2 there is a powerful question raised by those watching the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who had gathered in the upper room. They asked, “What does this mean?”
Thinking about that question, I noted first, the inclusiveness of the outpouring of the spirit. Everyone in the room experienced it. Second, I noted the inclusiveness toward those watching. People of many nationalities were looking on and everyone heard in their own language God speaking to them through those on whom the spirit was outpouring. And third, wouldn’t it be great if people left worship asking the same question.
As Rev. Michael Piazza writes, “What does this mean?” ought to be a question we all ask of ourselves. “What does it mean for the Spirit to be incarnated in my life. What does it mean to live with spiritual power? What does it mean to live as a disciple of Jesus today?” The answer to these questions begins by allowing the breath of Jesus to breathe on us as it did for the disciples.
Join us this Pentecost Sunday, in-person, by Zoom or Facebook Livestream. My sermon will explore that question in more depth “What Does This Mean,” based on selected passages from Acts 2 between verses 1-21 and John 20:19-23.
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