“Gone
with the Wind”
Texts:
Acts 2:1-21; Romans 8:14-17; John 14:8-17, 25-27
Dear friends in Christ, grace and peace to
you from the one who is and who was and who is to come, our living Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
It’s coming…It’s coming…It’s here…Now what?
After all of the suspense and promises, the
Holy Spirit came about 2,000 years ago…What
does that mean for us now? The question to ask ourselves today is, What
does the Holy Spirit look like in my life?
In our reading from Acts, in verse 2, it
says, “And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent
wind…” A week ago yesterday, I went to the Minnesota Twins game with some
friends. The big news from that
game wasn’t that the Twins won; it was the wind! It was freezing cold! I kid
you not, I had on a turtleneck, my Justin Morneau Twins jersey, a hooded
sweatshirt, a leather jacket, a blanket, and I was STILL cold! The phrase of
the game was, “Stop blowing!” shouted over and over again. And, it didn't work.
Do we
see the Holy Spirit’s presence as a nuisance? Do we ever tell it to “stop
blowing?” Do we say it without even realizing it? At the Twins game, the
wind was seen as a nuisance. But, if it would’ve been a 100-degree day, would
we have seen it as a nuisance then? I don’t know…The wind messes up people’s
hair, blows dirt around, walking against it we get tired…
What would happen if, instead of fighting
the wind, we went with the wind? Gone
with the Wind? I like to think of windmills…They stand there, needing the
wind in order to work, and when the wind and windmill work together, they
generate power. They are doing something to help others. Are we like the windmill? Do we allow the Spirit to work in and through
us? Fighting against and resisting the Spirit’s power, just light fighting
against and resisting the wind, will only drain you and make you tired…Tired to
the point of not doing anything.
What does the Holy Spirit look like in your
life? Is it seen as newness or nuisance?
Let’s face it: The Holy
Spirit may prompt us to do things we don’t want to or act in ways we don’t
expect. Our “perfectly ordered,” “smooth sailing” lives are sometimes disrupted.
Lord, you certainly don’t want me to
forgive that person who hurt me so deeply, do you? To even treat them with
kindness? Yes… Christ suffered, died, and rose again for ALL of us, so that
we may live. The Spirit breathes life. Empowerment. For ALL.
God’s grace is sufficient: we don’t have to
tire ourselves out, fighting against it. Former Bishop Lowell Erdahl spoke at
the Synod Assembly on Friday. He said we are saved trusting, resting in the
grace of God. That sounds nice and peaceful, doesn’t it? There is that side—the
passive side—but there is also another side—the active side: loving your
neighbor as yourself. Another writer
said, “God’s presence and love sustains our faith. And our work is to treat
people as God in Christ treats us. In the place where we live out our daily
lives, there is an opportunity to help others in their needs” (Luverne A.
Jacobson).
Besides, when others hurt you, you never
know what others may be going through. They could be experiencing hurt,
rejection, loss…Or, as Jack Handey once said, “Before you criticize someone,
you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you
are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” Through you, the Spirit
could be breathing new life into that person. How many of you watched “Mr.
Rogers’ Neighborhood” while growing up? It’s
such a good feeling, a really good feeling…I did, and he had some good
insights on life. He once said, “If you could only sense how important you are
to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may
never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every
meeting with another person.”
What does the Holy Spirit look like in your
life?
The Spirit brings sudden,
surprising, new life…Imagine the surprise of the disciples when the Holy Spirit
came rushing in: “wind…Divided tongues, as of fire” appearing… I almost want to
start singing some Earth, Wind, and Fire. Can
you imagine witnessing this miraculous activity firsthand? Why don’t we see the
Spirit move like this today?
I don’t know, and who says that it couldn’t
happen, but guess what? We DO
witness miraculous activity firsthand…EVERY day. Babies being born at 3 ½ pounds,
able to live and grow into healthy adults…As a congregation, coming together to
have a housewarming party, making dresses for Africa, welcoming students in
your congregation to have the chance to grow in their calls…Albert Einstein
once said, “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing
is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”
Everything comes down to LOVE. When we come
together in the Spirit of love, lives are changed. The Holy Spirit brings
transformation. Pentecost was a time when God blew the barriers away. Languages
no longer mattered. God desired for ALL people to have the Word. Christ came
for all. With barriers gone, we can walk with people, whatever it is that
they’re going through. On Friday, Bishop Peter Rogness said in our walk of
faith, “The deepest needs of other people become our concern. God’s love is not
just an idea; It took on flesh…Where there is pain, we step in and fill the
void…Our call is not to save people, persuading them to a set of beliefs, but
to serve people, with no conditions…We proclaim God’s love.” The Spirit never
becomes a personal possession but remains a heavenly gift. How do you see that gift today? Are you sharing it with others in word
and action? The more we try to hold onto something for ourselves, it chokes
the life out of it. But, when we let go, there is a peace that overcomes us
like never before. Tension ceases.
What
does the Holy Spirit look like in your life?
Now sometimes, the bad
news is that life can change so quickly, literally in the blink of an eye. And
we’re left standing there, in shock, paralyzed, wondering what to do next.
This week for me was one where I witnessed
life-changing in the blink of an eye: a friend was fired unexpectedly…We had
unexpected changes happen at work, so things are a little bit in a disarray…I
went to a visitation Friday night, as a former coworker from my previous job
lost his 21-year-old son unexpectedly, due to a brain aneurism…Interim
President at Luther Seminary Rick Foss spoke at the Synod Assembly on Friday,
and he said that he had been planning to retire on June 30th, with
he and his wife spending time with their grandchildren, only to be asked in
December to be the Interim President, after the current president unexpectedly
stepped down. The key word: Unexpectedly.
The good news is that no matter what happens
to us in life, we don’t have to face ANY of it alone. In today’s Gospel
reading, Jesus tells the disciples that they will not be left alone; In verse
16 he says he will ask the Father, and he will give them another Helper,
Comforter, Advocate, Someone who appears on another’s behalf. Verse 17 says, “You
know [The Spirit], because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” God is
with us, and we are with one another. Sometimes it simply takes being present
with another or listening to concerns.
Maybe you’re struggling today to see how and
where the Spirit is present in your life. I challenge you today to open your
hearts and eyes to see where God is. Write it down. Please consider sharing
these. There is power in that. Be empowered. In baptism, the Spirit is poured
out, and as we hear in our Romans text, we did not receive a spirit of fear but
one of adoption…We are named and claimed, children of God. Yes, we may suffer
on this journey, but it is worth it. SO worth it. We need not fear. Walk out of
these doors today knowing that God loves you, God’s Spirit dwells in you, and
you can turn with joy to the people around you—here at church and out in the
world, no matter who they are or where they come from—sharing this wonderful
gift of love in word and action.
We may not understand at the time why some
things are the way they are. I have been battling senioritis for the last semester.
For some reason, this last Thursday night for class, I was more alert than
usual. And, I felt like it was one of those “frying pan over the head” moments,
the “light bulb going on,” having an “Ahhh, NOW I get it!” moment, especially
after these last few stressful months. All I’ll say is that I now have more
peace as to where I’m going for internship, why I’m being sent there. Thanks be
to God for never giving up on us, especially when we may question or doubt or
reluctantly follow. Thanks to the Holy Spirit for continually giving light and
understanding. After all, “at the edge of darkness there is always light" (Anonymous).
What does the Holy Spirit look like in your
life? A nuisance wind? Or a life-giving wind? Is it someone speaking a word of
encouragement? Holding your hand when times are tough? Having something spoken
to you for the fifth time, and this time it resonates? Are you cursing the wind,
or are you the windmill?
And now may the peace
of God that surpasses all understanding guard our hearts and minds in Christ
Jesus. Amen.
Caroline Harthun
House of Prayer Lutheran Church
8:30am and 10:45am
Sunday, May 19, 2013
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