Sermon for May 27, 2012

The "Spirit of Truth" cuts through all the human clutter and gives us the real scoop on life.

On this Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the coming of one who presents to each of us the ultimate truth.  The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and simplified for them the truth of the gospel and also empowered them to go out and proclaim the gospel in a way that people could heart is (Acts 2).  The inspiration (breath of God) and information, the boldness to speak the ultimate truth was given too.  The Holy Spirit came down and cut through their anxiety, confusion, and wonder, and boiled down the gospel to a singular mission of truth.  The Spirit was not about eliminating humans beings because of sin, but about empowering human beings to overcome sin.

Here we learn the truth!  God chose to use the face of empowered humans to deliver the message.  There is no shortcut; via humans voice, behavior God's gospel is delivered.  The divine message and diving mission are accomplished through divinely empowered human beings.

Jesus had been teaching the disciples for up to three years, doing miracles and tons of other cool stuff that were never recorded that wowed them all over the place.  But, Jesus knew the sights and sounds were not enough to keep them going in the years ahead after he was gone.  They would still need help; in fact, lost of help.  They needed a "Helper!"  Jesus understood that it was to their advantage that he go away because then the disciples would move from external imitation to internal motivation. 

Clearly, this is not a do-nothing Holy Spirit.  On the contrary, the Spirit is very active.  Jesus said the Holy Spirit would testify on his behalf (15:27),prove the world wrong about sin, righteousness and judgment (16:8), guide believers into all through (16:13, declare the things that are to come (16:13), and glorify Jesus (16:14). 

This is good news for those of us who genuinely want to follow Jesus.  We don't have to worry about the words we say, the life we live, the content of our faith, and all that stuff.  Jesus says that that is what the Holy Spirit will do in us and for us.  The Holy Spirit comes to stand in for Jesus and do all the heavy lifting in our lives.

That's good news!  God's mission is not something for us to control or worry about.  It's only something we need to be available for.

This being the case, the Bible is clear that in dealing with the Holy Spirit, there are certain very specific protocols in place:  (1) don't resist the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51), (2) don't quench the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19, (3) think of ourselves as containers for the Holy Spirit, who God has sent to fill us (Ephesians 5:18). 

Following these steps we will begin writing some pretty amazing stories, and the results  will be pretty staggering.

It all comes down to truth and authentic living.  Jesus tells Pontius Pilate "For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.  Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice" (18:37).  The Holy Spirit is the ongoing presence of Jesus in the world.  We are to embody the presence of Jesus and live it. 

Pilate responds with "What is truth?" (18:38).  As a member of the Roman elite Pilate would have known, or expected to know, the Greco-Roman philosophies, imperial information, and worldly experiences.  And despite knowing so much he knew so little.  Pilate was clueless about that really mattered or, better, who really mattered.  He could not see that truth was embodied in Jesus.

The continuing work of the Holy Spirit is about embodying the truth in people.

Pentecost is a reminder that if we really want to know the truth, we have to allow the Spirit to embody us with the image of God revealed in Jesus.  Jesus offers through the Spirit the life of authenticity, steadfast love, faithfulness, and boldness to live and speak the truth in the world.