Upsizing the Trinity
Text: Acts 2:1-21 and Matthew 7:24-29
Aldersgate
1)
Downsizing the Trinity
a)
I suspect that some of you
have had some experience with downsizing
in recent years
i)
If not in your own work life
ii)
Then perhaps through that of
a family member
b)
Satirical tabloid called The
Onion
i)
Since downsizing has been so much a part of our
ii)
And in an attempt to bring
some humor to what can a painful, difficult experience
(1) Reported similar stories
about the Godhead
(a) Downsizing the Trinity
(b) Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
(2) A quote from article said,
about phase out of third person of the Trinity:
(a) “Given the poor economic
climate and the unclear nature of the Holy Ghost’s duties, I felt this was a
sensible and necessary move.”
(b) My question is ho is the “I”
that is making this decision?
(i)
Our own beloved Bishop
Weaver, I don’t think so.
(ii) New pope?
(iii) The big
(3) Article went on to say “The
Holy Ghost will be given fewer and fewer responsibilities until his formal
resignation from Trinity duty [on Sunday before Pentecost.]”
(4) So I guess that means the
phase out of this holiday as well
c)
Given the lack of press
about Pentecost
i)
The holiday that celebrates the Holy Spirit
ii)
I’m not surprised about this
fictitious move to downsize the Trinity
iii) After all think about it
Hallmark doesn’t even celebrate Pentecost?
(1) They have cards for
everything else
(a) Christmas
(b) Easter
(c) Grandparent’s Day
(d) Secretary’s Day
(e) Boss’ Day
(2) Why not Pentecost?
(a) Think of the greetings that
could be imprinted
(i)
Hope you get fired up this
Pentecost
(ii) More (Holy Spirit) power to ya!
(iii) Or the more risqué
1.
An invitation to God to
light my fire
2)
Today however, instead of
downsizing, its time to Upsize the Trinity
a)
Today, “[Pentecost, is] the
beginning of the period when the church carries forward the ministries it has
received from the Spirit.” (Preaching Through the Christian Year, p.
272)
i)
But two thousand years ago, on the day that Luke tells us about in his
Acts of the Apostles
(1) Pentecost was a Jewish
harvest festival
(2) “In some [Jewish]
traditions, it had become a time for celebrating the giving of the Law on
Sinai, and this was seen as marking the beginning of a new period in
(3) On that Pentecost, the
scripture tells us that it appeared as if tongues of fire rested upon each
person
(a) Scene is hard to interpret
until we remember that God appeared to Moses as fire on
(b) At this celebration of the
giving of the Law the fire appears over the head of each person suggesting that
the Spirit of God is now present in each one
ii)
On Pentecost, the church
becomes both the witness and the bearer of God’s Spirit.
b)
Our Gospel lesson from
Matthew makes it pretty clear that we need to put God’s words into action
i)
Today’s parable of two houses
(1) Built the same
(a) by the same competent
carpenter
(b) with the same materials
(2) but nevertheless, one is
solid; the other is not
(3) due to two different
foundation
(a) one of stone
(b) other on sand
ii)
Now this is not a warning
against building in the flood plain, although that is risky with today’s global
climate
(1) Rather two people hear Jesus’
words
(a) one acts on them
(b) the other says
(i)
these are good words
(ii) valuable words
1.
but I can’t change my life
because of them
(c) which person has a more solid
foundation?
iii) Do we really hear Jesus’
words if they do not move us into action?
(1) Have you ever been driving
along on the highway and seen someone be-bopping in the car along side?
(a) It’s a funny sight, isn’t
it?
(i)
Moving about on the seat
(ii) Head moving this way and
that
(iii) Hands slapping the steering
wheel
(b) If you can’t hear the music
that someone else is moving do you begin to wonder about their sanity?
(c) I’m asking the question
because I’m often the one moving about in my car like that
(i)
That good old rock and roll
music just takes me and I want to move
(ii) Some say you don’t hear the
music unless you move
(d) And isn’t that what should
happen with Jesus’ words
(i)
Shouldn’t we want to be-bop
and get moving
(ii) We can’t help but do God’s
work
iv) In fact, the gospel writer
of Matthew
(1) “… is skeptical of any
post-resurrection proclamation that God entered the world in Jesus
(a) which does not also contain
the substance of Jesus’ teaching –
(b) for Matthew, to believe that
God came in Jesus necessitates that you will do his teaching, otherwise it is
not belief.” (The Good News According to Matthew, Eduard
Schweizer, p. 193)
c)
Seventeen years ago, Aldersgate was propelled into mission,
i)
not only to enlarge this building
(1) but also to hire first
Christian Ed director
(2) move to two worship services
ii)
In
September of 1990, well into the construction project
iii) Pastor
Don reminded the congregation why they were involved in the building project
(a) Wrote
briefly about our purpose and function
(b) He
had been reading Herb Miller’s book, “The Vital Congregation” which speaks very
succinctly about the church’s purpose
(i)
Miller
writes that a vital congregation carries out the Ministry of Jesus Christ by
duplicating the example of Jesus’ Words and Deeds.
(ii) When
this works effectively, we help people in three ways:
1.
Help
people form a spiritual connection with God
2.
Guide them in forming loving
connections with other people
3.
Assist people in forming
committed connections with great causes
3)
Now the promise is realized!
a)
The project was completed
many years ago
b)
Today we mark the
discontinuation of the mortgage that allowed the work to be done
i)
At the beginning of that work on
(1) Pastor
Don shared a “Peanuts” comic strip, that is still appropriate today
(a) Lucy
and Charlie Brown are having a conversation
(i)
Lucy
says that life is like a deck chair.
1.
Some
place it so they can see where they are going;
2.
some
place it so they can see where they have been;
3.
and some place it so they can see where they are at
present.
(ii) Charlie
Brown’s reply: “I can’t even get mine unfolded.”
(2) This
is funny to me today because I feel a little like Charlie Brown
(a) As
we burn this mortgage, we are metaphorically placing our deck chairs to look
where we’ve been
(b) But
we also place our deck chairs to look where we are at the present
(i)
This
is a great congregation alive with the Spirit
1.
We encourage faith
development through classes and small groups for children, youth, and adults.
2.
We are good stewards of the
gifts God has given.
3.
We are engaged in local and
global missions.
4.
We care about and support
our members through illness and family crisis.
(ii) Yet to stay alive we must
also be focused on where we’re going
4) This spring the Spirit has been with us calling us forward
a) Through our community building campaign several have expressed concern for children and youth
i) maturing without an exposure to the values offered through a faith in God
(1) were unease about youth who only have faith in the materialism that permeates our culture
(2) We’re asking questions about how we can reach out to these children and youth
(3) to share the excitement of being loved by God
ii) We’ve also identified a need to find new ways to communicate more effectively with each other and beyond
iii) And
we do not want to loose site of our current capital needs
(1) We’re
going to fix the floors this summer!
(2) We’d
like to create a new back entrance with an elevator
(3) And
we’ve been talking about renovating the kitchen
b)
Sounds like a lot!
i)
That’s why I can identify with Charlie Brown who’s having trouble
opening the deck chair
ii)
Pentecost is about growth
and change
(1) It represents the moment
when the gestation of the church has ended
(2) And birthing has occurred
iii) Perhaps why we want to downsize
and ignore the Spirit
(1) Birth is frightening
(a) Think about it
(i)
Safe and secure in a womb
(ii) Gently floating and
cushioned
(iii) No worry about food
(iv) Everything you need is
provided
(v) Attached to this wonderful
god-like figure who has been caring for you and loving you all your life
(b) Imagine how risky it feels
to let go of that warm and gentle place
(i)
Birth is frightening
(ii) Something new is happening
and we are not sure what
iv) But, it’s the presence of
the Holy Spirit that gives us the will, stamina, and power to act on Jesus’
ways
(1) It is the Spirit that
propels us into our mission
(a) The Spirit gives life!
(b) The Spirit is a gift!
(c) the people of God and the whole
creation live by grace.
(2) So today, we’re upsizing the
Trinity and claiming all the power that’s there
c)
The promise is strong
i)
Twice, in conjunction with Jesus’ ascension, here in the Book of Acts
the coming of the Spirit is promised:
(1) Acts 1:8 “you will be
baptized in the Holy Spirit”
(2) A little later Jesus tells
his disciples that they are going to get the Holy Spirit and that they will
witness everywhere, even to the ends of the earth!
ii)
The Spirit is also promised
in Luke 24: the disciples will receive
power from on high
iii) And in 14th
chapter of John, Jesus refers to an advocate, a friend who is the Spirit of
Truth
d)
Now that promise is realized
as it was in 1990, as it is today, and as it will be in the future
i)
New life for the church!
ii)
New life for individuals
within the church!
iii) God’s Spirit has been
unleashed!
iv) Amen!