Today is Pentecost Sunday; the day that Christians around the world have been, presently are, and will forever be celebrating the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Jesus, who had to return to his father, promised his faithful disciples just before he ascended back into heaven that he would send to them “the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father”[1]. This is the continuation of the plan of God’s creation and the salvation offered to all of humanity.What is it that sets us apart for the rest of this physical world that is all around us? Some would say that we have evolved in a “natural process” like all of the other life forms and animals found on this planet. But we who are members of a faith community believe that there is a force greater than science; we normally call this force either the Creator or God. And we also believe that in all of creation, God has directly given to humanity free will. Each one of us has the choice of accepting the Creator, the Redeemer, and the Sustainer … or we can chose to live a life without God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
The One who has created all that is, will also be the one to be the final judge of all that is. Humanity along the way lose sight of how the Creator wanted us to live in relationship with God and with each other, and so Jesus was physically sent to us to help us and to guide us back into a relationship with God the Creator. How simple it would have been for us if Jesus where to have simply remained a physical presence with us. But that is not a part of the plan, for we have been given the greatest gift of all; the gift of free will. God wants us to choose to be with God and with each other … and so Jesus – the physical presence of God with us – had to leave us and this physical world so that we would have to make our own choice about being a part of the family of God. Though we are physically separated from God and Jesus, we can chose to remain spiritually connected through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Last week I shared with those present a brief over-view of my journey of faith to this point in time. Now I will share with you a brief remembrance of my encounter with the Holy Spirit. Since my time as a youth with the Evangelical United Brethren Church I have understood the presence and the function of the Holy Spirit, but it was not until I attended a Walk to Emmaus as an adult that I came to understand the physical presence of the Holy Spirit.
During that wonderful weekend my eyes were opened, and from that point I could see the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit. Not just in the faces of those who were leading this weekend event. Not just in the actions of those who were hosting this weekend event. I could also see that my brothers who were attending this walk for the first time had changed. For me the most powerful witness to the very presence of the Holy Spirit occurred the evening that many individuals who had attended previous Walks to Emmaus came to share a few brief moments of song, prayer, and candle light.
When I returned to the Saranac United Methodist Church, I had changed. Somehow, I was now able to see the results of the presence of the Holy Spirit. I shared with Barb Dann, a long time friend of mine, that she might be interested in going on a Walk to Emmaus. We talked for a while, and she openly shared with me that she had lived a blessed life. She had been able to see the active presence of the Holy Spirit since she could remember being a little child.
It’s true; some of our brothers and sisters have always known the presence of the Holy Spirit. There are also those who have an event occur within their life-times that allow them to see the presence of the Holy Spirit. But there are also those who need us to help them see.
That’s right: as followers of Jesus, we are encouraged to share with our sisters and our brothers the love of God. We are encouraged to help our brothers and our sister to personally meet the active presence of the Holy Spirit. We as members of the United Methodist Church are called upon to reach out to everyone who is around us … we are encouraged to embrace them as family … we are encouraged to share with them all of the blessing and the love that God has given to us. The choice is ours to make … because that is the promise that the Creator has made … This is Pentecost Sunday … the day that we pause to remember that God has sent the Holy Spirit to be with all of creation!
[1] John 15:26c NRSV
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