"Are You Pentecostal"

                                   "Many shun the idea"

 How many of us here today celebrate birthdays not just with a card but with a party every year?  What is your celebration like?   Did you know that Pentecost is sometimes considered the churches birthday.  Anyone know why? Just for fun how do you think we should celebrate the birth of the Christian Church?   

June 8 2014 Readings Acts 2: 1-21,   John 14: 8-17

Today is Pentecost Sunday and usually we read the story of the tongues of fire that come upon the people, their hearts were set on fire and they began to speak in other languages.   Well, let me tell you another true Pentecost story this morning. 

It is a story about a well-known author and preacher by the name of Fred Craddock who was about to give a lecture to a theological class at Seminary.   Just before he began to lecture, one of the students stood up and said, "Before you speak, I need to know if you are Pentecostal?"  Now there is no reason to disclose the denomination of this preacher, but the room began to grow silent.     The student continued with his quiz right in front of everybody.  Craddock was totally caught off guard and so he said, "Do you mean do I belong to the Pentecostal Church?"  The student replied "No, I mean are you Pentecostal?" Craddock said, "Are you asking me if I am charismatic?"   “No” said the student “I am asking you if you are Pentecostal."  Craddock said, "Do you want to know if I speak in tongues?"  The student again replied, “No,   I want to know if you are Pentecostal."  Craddock said, "I sorry but I don't know what your question is."   The student then replied, "Obviously, you are not Pentecostal."  and at that, the student got up and left the lecture room.   

Now I ask you, what is it about the word Pentecostal that seems to through most main line church people into a frenzy?    What exactly are we talking about this morning?  I believe that most of us use the word Pentecost only as a noun, meaning to name a person, place or thing as being Pentecostal.  The scriptures on the other hand uses the word Pentecost as it was intended, as an adjective to describe “THE EVENT”, and this event, well, it radically changed the people who experienced this phenomenon.  People’s lives were changed and the early Christian church birthed a root.   That right folks, Pentecost becomes the birthday for the modern day Christian Church that would follow.  The people of Paul’s time would not have known Pentecostal as a noun, why, because that denomination did not yet exist, nor did any of the others.    
In spite of the fact that the church hasn’t grasped the full meaning of Pentecost, may I suggest that the word remain in our vocabulary as an adjective, not a noun?   Some of the denominations of the Christian Church may shun the word and find it difficult to think of Pentecostal only as an adjective.  But the word Pentecostal describes the Christian church as a whole not a specific denomination.  We are a Pentecostal people folks and “THE EVENT” is where we have our roots.  This event was then and still should be today, full of hope, excitement, newness, change and full of the spirit.   And so I ask you, are you ready to accept your Pentecostal roots?   And you thought your root was your denomination, such as Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Baptist, Catholic, or Anglican,  didn’t you!!   As Paul Harvey would say: “Now you know the rest of the story”.   The Question we might ask here is:  “How do we keep this aliveness, this fire burning in our hearts, and the spirit moving within our lives and within our Church today”?   What must exit from us, around us, and through us, if we are to be truly to be a spirit fill people, a Pentecostal people?  May I suggest we need to consider these three points:

1, We are to be of one accord without fear:

The biggest fear all denominations have to face today is still no different than it was for the followers of the early church.  Many fear change because they think it may cause a loss of independence within their group, denomination or as a church point within a pastoral charge and it is a legitimate fear.  Now I know that this might be a hard pill for some to swallow but going it alone or by trying to stand alone, well, it’s just not very healthy nor is it wise in these trying times folks.  We need each other desperately.  Not just a denomination or a particular church, but we need to be as the scriptures tell us:   OF ONE MIND, ONE BODY, and ONE SPIRIT, united together in Christ.

When Pentecost comes to us, when the Spirit of the living Christ, the HOLY SPIRIT comes upon us as a church or as individuals, our eyes will be opened to growth, and we will no longer fear change but want to embrace it.

 2.  We are called not only to pray but turn our prayers into action: 

Want things to change in your life, or in the life of your church, then put your prayers into action.  If you pray for something don’t just stand around waiting for God to do something, look for your part, all prayer requires us to be active and present to our present condition.   You can’t change anyone else but if you change, everything around you will have no choice but to change with you.  This is great news for all aspects of your life if you have the ears to hear it, and the courage to become an active agent for change.   

3. We are to turn away from that which is holding us back: 
 What must exit from us, around us, and through us, if we are to be truly to be a spirit fill people?  One of the hardest things in live to do is to look at oneself and see that I am part of the problem.  It is so easy for us to see others and their problems, but what about us.  We need to accept our part in whatever the circumstances are surrounding our lives or the life of our church and turn away from anything that is holding us back.  Anything that holds you in bondage imprisons you, immobilizes you.  Here is a nugget for you.  As you begin to think differently, respond differently, and act differently others will not be able to respond to you in the same old way. 

A Zen spiritual master of contemplation, {meaning a master of the peace that passes all understanding} living in a small community is accused of fathering a child with a young lady.  The town fathers approach him with the accusations and insist that he provide a home and care for the newborn and the girl.  His only reply is:  “Is that so”.  He takes the girl in and during that year they begin to bond as a family.  The mother of the young girl finds out that the child was not fathered by the Monk but by a young neighborly boy.  The town fathers arrive at the Masters door once again only to tell him they are here to take away the child and the girl.  His only response is “Is that so”.  

So then if I were to change my attitude of responding to life's situations or persons within my life, others cannot respond to me in the same way either.   The Spiritual Master teaches his student this phrase "Is that so" to ward off aggressive responses on his own behalf, allowing the student to let it go.  Not an easy learning for the programmed soul.    When the spirit comes upon us as individuals or as a group, an example being the reading from Acts this morning, there will be those who resist but their lives will change folks, we will be refreshed and renewed, and transformed then we can move forward.  May the grace of God through the power of the Holy Spirit be upon you this day, I pray.     

                                          "Yes Lord Yes"