What are you known for ? What defines you ? I expect you’re not known for causing a disturbance at a major religious festival. I remember when I was a child going to a special event for the Church in Wales, one of the Bishop’s fell off the stage. He was fine but that is all I remember of that event. I can’t imagine any of us being known for speaking in multiple different languages that we have never spoken before. I heard once of a plumber who had been invited to a posh meal. It was decided that he should say grace. So, he stood up and listed a number of plumbing terms in Latin followed by Amen. Everyone was very impressed.
The disciples had a reputation for following Jesus. They had been staying undercover for quite a while as they did not want to be seen or caught by any of the people who were against Jesus, after all they might have been caught as well. Suddenly, the promise that Jesus had given them, the promise that they would be helped by the Holy Spirit happened. They were now to be known for being people who spoke about Jesus. They became known as those who helped the gospel of Jesus to spread. They became known as confident preachers and not scared followers. They had the power of the Holy Spirit. They disturbed an important Jewish festival with the good news not only of Jesus but the good news that the Holy Spirit for whom they had been waiting had arrived. The Holy Spirit was, and is, available to us.
The disciples were changed. I love the fact that when we read the book of Acts in the New Testament we read of a group of disciples who were scared ended up preaching the good news of Jesus to the very centre of the Roman empire, Rome itself. As they did this, with the power of the Holy Spirit they were able to reach an incredible number of people. Lives were changed, communities of people worshipping Jesus were developed and grew.
It is great to think of the different significant events in the Bible that still effect us today. We are here because God created the world. We are here because God was born as a human child. We are here because this child, who was God Himself, grew and taught us how to live like Him. We are here because although He was crucified, it was for our sins and then He rose again. We are here because He ascended into heaven, where He continues to pray for us and we are here because God came amongst the disciples giving them power to preach at Pentecost. We are here because the Church was born and grew, and grew. I am not going to give a Church history lesson now, but just think what we are known for, and what defines us, is partly the fact that we believe.
This is amazing. If we go back in time, we know that the people in the Old Testament had been waiting for the one promised by God. The One who would change the world. At Christmas we celebrate the gift of Jesus, the one promised by God. God Himself. In the reading that we have heard this morning from the Acts of the Apostles we heard of Peter referring to the book of Joel in the Old Testament. As he did this he was explaining that the Holy Spirit who had been prophesied about by Joel was now amongst them. God had come amongst them again. This time in a slightly different way. God was with them through His Spirit. Every time they asked God for His help He would be with them.
In the words that Peter used from the prophet Joel, he was showing that not only was the awaited Spirit with them, but they could know that this was all ok. This wasn’t men causing a drunken disturbance. This was men, filled with the Spirit as prophesied. It was an amazing way of reasoning and explaining. You can almost imagine, a Homer Simpson moment of Doh ! It’s obvious, we should have known.
The arrival of the Holy Spirit was a great equaliser, because everyone would be able to experience Him. There was no division by age, gender or nationality. The Spirit was available to all who called on the name of God. All those who believed and it is the same for us today. What are you known for ? What identifies you ? Someone who believes, someone who prays, someone who calls on the name of God.
In the gospel reading (John 14:8-17) we heard of Jesus promising that the disciples would receive an advocate. This word is sometimes translated as comforter. It doesn’t matter as much as the meaning that God was going to come amongst the disciples and provide them with a strength and support that they had not experienced before. This was God abiding with them and in them. God amongst us, God within us. God there when we pray. God giving us power for our day to day walk with Him. This is amazing. What identifies you ? What are you known for ? Someone who knows and believes that they can turn to God always and He will be there to help and support them? Someone who believes that God is always with them?
In the gospel reading we heard of Jesus telling the disciples that if they loved Him, they would keep His commandments. This can almost sound like a very nice sentiment, after all love can be absolutely lovely. I wonder though if Jesus was actually saying something that was a lot more blunt. If you love me, you will be changed to be more like me so that you will obviously keep my commandments because you will not be able to do anything else. Obviously these aren’t the words Jesus used but when you think of it, by truly loving Jesus we will want to be more like Him and so we will automatically try to keep His commandments. What are you known for ? What identifies you ? Someone who loves Jesus so much that they can’t fail but to keep His commandments and to love like He did. This is to love unconditionally.
There is a lot of ways that we can be known. There are lots of things that identify us. The main one is that like the disciples by the Holy Spirit living within us, we are to seek to be ready to be changed. AMEN.
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