On Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit comes as the Prodigal Spirit, there is a lavish or extravagant love poured out upon the disciples, with new life, new power, new energy, new understanding, and new embrace –all to undo the deadly effects of the Tower of Babel. Remember that it was in the story of the Towel of Babel where people who thought they had godlike power tried to unify everyone under one imperial language and culture, but God opposed such uniformity and voted for diversity in language and culture.
Pentecost is the Spirit’s answer to reverse that uniformity, or that moment when God sends a message about what true power, and communication, and presence mean.
First, power in that we do not control the Spirit; no, the Spirit blows where the Spirit wills. We cannot put God into our own political boxes.
Second, it is about communication in that Pentecost is about how people from different backgrounds communicate and understand each other. One of the miracles of Pentecost is that people communicated with each other in their own language (Acts 2:5). Think about that: think about how, at any time, when we understand each other, even in our own language, a miracle is taking place. That is one of the gifts of the Spirit.
Third: Pentecost is about presence: We are not the generators of the Spirit. God is. We are not the creators of the church. The Spirit is. The Spirit comes as a presence that is recognizable and perceptible, as we see the life-giving effects of God’s Presence in our lives.
How may we live into and receive from the Spirit of Pentecost? How may we open our lives to the embrace of the Spirit’s love and then return that love in our lives to others? What is the Spirit up to these days?
Pastor Andy Kinsey
Pentecost is the Spirit’s answer to reverse that uniformity, or that moment when God sends a message about what true power, and communication, and presence mean.
First, power in that we do not control the Spirit; no, the Spirit blows where the Spirit wills. We cannot put God into our own political boxes.
Second, it is about communication in that Pentecost is about how people from different backgrounds communicate and understand each other. One of the miracles of Pentecost is that people communicated with each other in their own language (Acts 2:5). Think about that: think about how, at any time, when we understand each other, even in our own language, a miracle is taking place. That is one of the gifts of the Spirit.
Third: Pentecost is about presence: We are not the generators of the Spirit. God is. We are not the creators of the church. The Spirit is. The Spirit comes as a presence that is recognizable and perceptible, as we see the life-giving effects of God’s Presence in our lives.
How may we live into and receive from the Spirit of Pentecost? How may we open our lives to the embrace of the Spirit’s love and then return that love in our lives to others? What is the Spirit up to these days?
Pastor Andy Kinsey
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