Breathe In, Let Go, Move On



Gate Pa – Pentecost Sunday 2014 (and AGM)
Readings:
First Reading:             Acts 2:1-21                                       
Second Reading:        1 Cor 12:3-13 
Gospel:                        John 20:19-23                                                   

What I want to say:
Pentecost invites us to let go of our past and to embrace God’s future. I want to use Dianne Butler-Bass’s work to explore some of what that future might include as we prepare for our AGM.
What I want to happen:
I want people to feel excited about the future rather than apprehensive.

  The Sermon

      1.     Introduction:

what comes to mind when think Pentecost – talk neighbour

      2.     Luke vs John

one interesting things about Luke’s account Pentecost is that no-one else tells it same way
            not his gospel
            certainly not John
Luke – just heard – resurrection
            hang out Jerusalem 40 days
            Jesus ascends heaven – sits on right hand of God and assumes place in Godhead
            10 days later – 50 days
            Spirit comes – all power and good things
John different
            resurrection and ascension simultaneous
            Jesus tells Mary not touch because not yet ascended – then story hear today
                        people all over him
                        gone and come back
this is resurrected and ascended Christ standing in room we heard about
Resurrected and Ascended Christ breathes Spirit of God on each of them
his essence
which is to bring peace
like Christmas stories – different
important not confuse these stories read each on own account

      3.     Luke

what stills trikes me about Luke’s account – in Acts
last conversation between Jesus and disciples – heard last week
what was their question?
“Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?”
after all that has happened still looking back to how it was
still
            want Romans out
            probably quite like High Priests out as well
            money grubbing puppets
            more interested own profit than God
wanted go back glory days King David
            all 12 tribes together under one king
            safe secure  
            all people prospered
Only not good as that was it
            constant wars – Philistines, and Syro-Phonecians and others
            civil war – oldest son Absalom seizes throne support big chunk court
            had Uriah Hittite killed in battle so have his wife – Bathsheba
                        leads Solomon
            who in turn reintroduces slavery and harsh taxes on people Israel
            all escaped from in Egypt
were wearing rose tinted glasses
longing to go back how was
            except it was never really like that
missing seeing what God doing now and into future

       4.     Us

So what are the good old days that we long for?
how are we like those disciples
wearing our rose tinted glasses
seeing the world as o so much better when
when we had big Sunday schools
            youth groups
            church was full
            ??????
what is ti we miss the most
I miss free doctor’s visits to be honest
as we look back
what do we miss
            what was not so good about that past - miss
            what God is doing all around us today?

      5.     Diana Butler Bass

I just finished reading Christianity for the Rest of Us: How the Neighbourhood Church Is Transforming the Faith
This is result of three year study exploring growing vibrant liberal mainline protestant churches in US.
debunk theory that have future and to grow
            needed to be evangelical
            modern band
            conservative theology
wanted to see what common factors were liberal churches that were growing
found 3 factors or marks
connection to tradition
commitment to Christian practices
concern to live God’s dream of just and peaceful society (wisdom)
suggests that whole point Christian faith is transformation
at heart of Christian life is promise that we will be transformed
            as individuals
            as faith communities
            as societies

      6.     First Pentecost

which takes us back to first disciples at Pentecost
doesn’t matter follow Johns account or Lukes
transformed
stopped looking back
embraced new thing God up to in Jesus
became ambassadors for poor, outcast, widow, orphan
as result faith communities transformed
world lived in slowly changed as well
this Pentecost we too are invited to be transformed
let go longing past
look forward to what might be
take note what God is doing around us in other churches
            connecting them deeply to their tradition – way breathes life into them as Jesus spirit was breathed into disciples in that room
            inviting people deeper living of Christian practices – might be transformed
            join in God’s dream of just and peaceful society

        7.     AGM

today is our AGM
time take stock
take breath
invite us to not look too far back with too much longing
let go how we remember it
see what God has been and is continuing to do in our midst.



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