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15.05.05
Come ye, spirit of truth
Part of the Pentecost Grid Blog
These days, probably quite a few people wonder what is so important about Pentecost that in Germany we like to celebrate it with two public holidays (Pentecost Sunday and Monday). Most people know some of the background of Christmas and Easter, but the meaning of Pentecost has mostly been lost in our post-church society. Even those that know the “correct” answer (“outpouring of the holy spirit“) find it hard to attach any practical importance to it.
Even in christian circles it is not easy to deal with Pentecost: Even though it is sort of a “home base” for pentecostals and charismatics, we are still unsure how to celebrate it, and in other denominations it can be even worse. There is an official answer, of course, but how do I celebrate this day personally? What do I thank God for? What rituals are there for Pentecost when there's no nativity, no easter eggs, no christmas tree? Once the service is over, is Pentecost still more than a normal sunday for me?
An interesting description of Pentecost is that as the birthday of the church. Jesus announces building his church on Pete in Matthew 16:18, and Pete's impressive sermon in Acts catches us as a surprise after the easy to anger, hasty and somewhat insecure Pete we get to know in the Gospels. After that, we read that “…the Lord added daily” – model church growth that is to be envied.
The very important step in between that made all this possible can be found in Acts 2: Being filled with the holy spirit. At this point, it is important to remember that we are not talking about a frame of mind, godly thoughts or spiritual experiences, but about God himself living inside those who believe in him. Our modern society likes to express this thought as “the spark of God in us”, a “godly power or idea”, often to explain that being religious is not necessary since we already carry God in us. We all are God – to some extent
However, that is not what the new testament talks about! It is not about a thought or idea that is under our control. It is about yielding power, about a sovereign God that powerfully leads our life and brings it towards a good finish, even despite our hindering him somewhat sometimes.
For the church as an institution, this means that christian faith is not primarily focused on remembrance, recollection and preservation, but on acting, changing our unjust societies towards God's justice and building the kingdom of God.
This also must influence our own personal life: God acts creatively in us and despite us. Let's use this time to thank him for this privilege. We need courage to change this world. And we need humility to recognize that our thoughts and our actions are still permeated by our own wishes – as can be seen throughout church history.
Posted by crenz, 15.05.05 20:10
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