Breathe on Me Holy Spirit
Gate
Pa – Pentecost Sunday - Year C - 2019
Readings:
Psalm
Psalm: 104:24-34,35
First
Reading:
Acts
2:1-21
Second
Reading: Romans
8:14-17
Gospel:
John 14:8-17,
25-27
What
I want to say:
I
want to explore John’s version of the gifting of the Spirit and her role among
us
What
I want to happen:
invite people to take one fo the flowers from
our Easter resurrection cross as a reminder that the Spirit is at work beside
us and within us, reminding, comforting, teaching, encouraging, praying in us
and with us.
The Sermon
1. Introduction:
When talk about
Pentecost what is first thing comes to mind?
discuss
something like
this?
è show movie on Pentecost from Vol. 11:
Spreading The Good News from www.whatsinthebible.com
dramatic story
lots going on
with wind and flames
people speaking
in languages never knew
Peter prophesying
– interpreting what is going on using Joel and other scripture
all very inspiring
but leaves me
feeling little inadequate
not like that
today
certainly not
like that most Anglican churches
although none
those given Spirit were adequate
-
all
hiding behind closed doors, again
-
even
so
how does all this
make you feel?
2. Other Options
Acts in not only
version of giving of Holy Spirit
also John 20
Jesus breathes on
disciples
much less
dramatic story
consequences are
less dramatic as well
seem to go home
Galilee to go fishing
-
which
gives me a little bit more hope
In John The Spirit
is call the Paraclete
-
often
translated as Advocate
-
actually
means literally -> One who is beside
-
whose
role as we heard today is to teach us and remind us
o all Jesus did
o all Jesus said
-
reminded
Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in Father
-
words
Jesus spoke were Father’s
-
works
Jesus did were Father’s
3. Paul and Romans
Paul describes
what is going on using language of “sonship”
little tricky
today
inclination to
change language to child
important we know
what Paul referring to.
Within Greco
Roman world
world Paul lived
in
in that world responsibility
of son to carry on work of their father in a way that embodied values of father
-
in
carrying on work bring honour to their father
-
revealed
some who their father is.
-
when
didn’t have son own, could adopt son to fulfil this responsibility
o what todays reading is about
When Paul calls
Jesus “son of God” – this is one ways he is using it
-
carrying
on work of his Father, God in a way that embodied values of the Father
4. Primary picture of God
See same
understanding at work in John’s gospel
when Jesus is
described, or describes himself as “son of God”
much less a claim
of being divine
more about
responsibility to carry on work of God the Father
and to do so in
way embodies values of God
or to put this
another way
in John’s gospel
Jesus, as son, is place where we recognise God at work
is starting point
for any God talk
where see, touch,
feel, know what God is like
and all further
talk about God is to be measured against how Jesus lives
because as the
son he is one who reveals who God is.
role of Spirit in
John is to remind disciples about this
remind people in
John’s community about this
remind us about
this
5. We Are Sons
Spirit also
reminds us of what Paul was writing
that we are all
sons
we all
responsibility to carry on work of the Father in a way that embodied values of Father
do this knowing
that Paraclete is beside us and within us
-
teaching
-
reminding
-
comforting
-
encouraging
-
advocating
for us
Reminded who God
is in Jesus
reminded who we
are as sons and daughters of God
-
made
in image God
-
responsibility
to carry on work of our father in a way that embodies values of God the Father
-
finding
what is ours to do
-
as
first disciples eventually found what was theirs.
Spirit is
breathed into us as it was into those first disciples
do that we might
continue to carry out God’s work
-
renewal
creation
-
restoration
of humanity
-
through
lives shaped values lived by Jesus
-
embodying
values of hospitality, generosity, compassion, justice.
-
what
I might call resurrection lives
Invite you take on
resurrection flowers at communion
reminder that
Spirit is beside us and within us
reminding,
teaching, encouraging, comforting, advocating for us
that we might
live resurrection lives
Stand use James K
Baxter’s poem as our creed p.157 -A New Zealand Prayer Book | He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa
Song to the Holy Spirit
Lord, Holy
Spirit,
You blow like the
wind in a thousand paddocks,
Inside and
outside the fences,
You blow where
you wish to blow.
Lord, Holy
Spirit,
You are the sun
who shines on the little plant,
You warm him
gently, you give him life,
You raise him up
to become a tree with many leaves.
Lord, Holy
Spirit,
You are as the
mother eagle with her young,
Holding them in
peace under your feathers.
On the highest
mountain you have built your nest,
Above the valley,
above the storms of the world,
Where no hunter
ever comes.
Lord, Holy
Spirit,
You are the
bright cloud in whom we hide,
In whom we know
already that the battle has been won.
You bring us to
our Brother Jesus
To rest our heads
upon his shoulder.
Lord, Holy
Spirit,
You are the kind
fire who does not cease to burn,
Consuming us with
flames of love and peace,
Driving us out
like sparks to set the world on fire.
Lord, Holy
Spirit,
In the love of
friends you are building a new house,
Heaven is with us
when you are with us.
You are singing
your song in the hearts of the poor.
Guide us, wound
us, heal us.
Bring us to the
Father.
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