| Previous Sermon |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Previous Sermons |
| Pentecost 4 June, 2006 The Rev. Robert C. Granfeldt |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Well, last Monday was Memorial Day, and summer has now begun! Not the official
one, of course – the one that begins at the summer solstice in three weeks, but the
Real summer; the summer that counts; the summer that’s marked by mass weekend
migrations to the shore, and a large drop in Church attendance in this part of the
world!
And, of course, today marks a shift in the Liturgical calendar, too!
Today is the Feast of Pentecost; the last of the Church calendar’s Sunday Feast Days
commemorating events; and the last of the “big three” Feast Days that I’ve
mentioned before – those considered the primary feasts from the earliest days of the
Church: Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost! The Last of the Major Fests – the Feasts
that describe who we are!
The Greek word, Pentekoste, means, literally, “fiftieth day.” It referred, originally, to
the Jewish Feast called the “Feast of Weeks” – seven weeks, of 7 days – a total of 49
days – and it was the period of seven weeks following the Passover. The next day –
the fiftieth day – was Pentecost – and a time of celebration in the Jewish community!
Our Lord arose from the tomb on a Sunday. For forty days he appeared to his
disciples, ate with them, talked with them, taught them, all the while telling them he
couldn’t stay with them – that he had to ascend to the Father – but that he would not
leave them alone! He would, he said, send to them a Counselor who would be with
them forever, and would lead them into all truth – the Holy Spirit. After 40 days, he
did, indeed, leave them, again, this time, ascending to the Father.
But they had learned some things during those forty days. The first time Jesus left
them –hanging on the cross – they had no idea what to do; Disheartened and afraid,
deserted and confused, they hid while they got ready to run off, home – back to their
former lives! But then Jesus came to them – he had risen!
This time, being left by Jesus, again, they didn’t hide and they didn’t leave. Rather,
they did as Jesus had told them: they returned to Jerusalem, to the Upper Room,
where they spent their days and their nights in prayer – waiting.
And after ten days his promise proved good – the “comforter” the “counselor” he
had promised them finally came.
And what a scene that must have been. The description in the Book of Acts is really
quite remarkable, but exactly what happened was impossible to describe. There they
were, doing what they had been doing – praying, conversing, reading the scriptures
– and waiting – and then it happened: a sound “like the rush of a mighty wind,” and
over their heads, “tongues as of fire.”
And it was noisy! Disciples caught up in the spirit, praying and singing!
There were lots of people in town that day, for the feast of weeks – Jews from all
over the Diaspora, all over the Greek-speaking world. And when they heard the noise
coming from that upper room and from that small band of Galilean misfits, they came
to see what in the world was going on. And, the story tells us, each of the visitors, no
matter where they were from, heard the followers of Jesus speaking of the wondrous
works of God in his own tongue.
Quite a scene!
The language of the Book of Acts, unfortunately, is imprecise, the phenomenon
described, fantastic. If those who were there couldn’t find the words to talk about it,
how should we, so we’ll never really know what was going on, that day! A lot of claims
have been made for what is called “speaking in tongues,” through the ages, but there
‘s not a whole lot of hard data available, and we just really don’t know.
But one thing we can be certain did happen that day: the Church came into existence!
Pentecost has been called the birthday of the Church, and it really was that.
When Jesus walked the earth, the disciples were friends and followers; but once he
was gone they had to become something more than just friends – they had to take on
a new life; independent, creative, vigorous. They had to look inside themselves for
their continuing inspiration and, at the same time, they had to look outside
themselves for the work that lay before them. They had to take up, finally, the ministry
they had been called to and given by their Lord. They had a mission to perform, which
was to spread the Good News. And it was at the moment they took up that mission --
speaking, on the day of Pentecost, to people from all over the world, of the wonderful
works of God in Christ – that they became, finally, the Church.
The Church!
A couple of years ago I talked to you about the Birthday of the Church, and discussed
with you the origins of that odd little word, “Church.” You may recall I pointed out to
you the similarity between our English word, Church, it’s Scottish form, Kirk, and the
German: Kirche, and explained that they’re all related, originally, to one of just a few
Greek words you can find in the Book of Common Prayer: Kyrie! As in Kyrie Eleison!
That is: Lord. The actual derivation of “Church,” is from “Kyriakon – which means
“belonging to the Lord”! Originally, the word was used to describe Church buildings,
and only later – and slowly – did it become a word to describe the People of God! The
People of God – belonging to the Lord!
But the word Kyriakon isn’t found in the Bible, at all. The Biblical word that is usually
translated in English as Church, is another Greek word, Ekklesia.
Ekklesia was used in the same way in both the Old Testament and the New. It means,
in its commonest usage, “assembly,” and in Scripture it applies to those who
assemble in the Lord’s name –the congregation. In the Old Testament, it refers to the
assembly of the Israelites, and in the New Testament it refers to the assembly of
Christians.
But the original, literal sense carries a much, much deeper meaning. Ekklesia, in its
literal sense means “the called out”. So the Ekklesia are not just the assembled –
they are those who are called out from the rest.
So…, two words we translate as “Church,” Ekklesia and Kyriakon! Each with its own
meaning, its own nuance. Belonging to the Lord. The Called out.
Which makes us – you and me – people who have been called out to be the Lord’s!
Called out to be different. Called out to be unlike other people. Called out to be more
than other people: more than family members; more than neighbors; more than
workers; more than citizens. Called out to be members of God, God’s own.
What a privilege to be called out to represent God in God’s world! And what a
responsibility.
Called out to consider, always, God, first; to consider God’s will, first. Not to “follow
the leader” in society, but follow the leader of the universe: to see everything in
terms of God’s will, his desires for his people, for the world; his love for his people,
for the world!
Called out to try, at least, always, to form our thoughts, our desires our hopes in God’
s terms. Called out, always, to represent what our faith tells us is God’s will!
It is not easy to be God’s called out, not easy to belong to God. Not easy to keep
always in our minds the question: what would God will, in this case? For, “To each is
given the Manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” That is: for the good of
ALL God’s People –for the good of all people!
So… today we celebrate the birthday of the Church – the beginning of that Ekklesia –
that assembly of those who belong to the Lord.
And this is a good day to ask ourselves a pretty important question: when we come to
Church, are we coming to the Ekklesia, only? And if so, in which way? Do we come
just to be a part of the gathering? The congregation? Or do we come because we
have been “called out”?
Or do we come, as well, because we are the kyriakon? Do we come because we
belong to the Lord? And, a question for us all on this Feast of Pentecost: If we Are
the Lord’s people, if we Belong to the Lord and are called out and set apart, what
does that mean to the way we live our lives!!!?
If we are the Lord’s People – all of us, and each of us – our question must be, “How
does the Spirit manifest in OUR life – in MY life – for the good of all God’s children?
In His Name. Amen.
one, of course – the one that begins at the summer solstice in three weeks, but the
Real summer; the summer that counts; the summer that’s marked by mass weekend
migrations to the shore, and a large drop in Church attendance in this part of the
world!
And, of course, today marks a shift in the Liturgical calendar, too!
Today is the Feast of Pentecost; the last of the Church calendar’s Sunday Feast Days
commemorating events; and the last of the “big three” Feast Days that I’ve
mentioned before – those considered the primary feasts from the earliest days of the
Church: Epiphany, Easter, and Pentecost! The Last of the Major Fests – the Feasts
that describe who we are!
The Greek word, Pentekoste, means, literally, “fiftieth day.” It referred, originally, to
the Jewish Feast called the “Feast of Weeks” – seven weeks, of 7 days – a total of 49
days – and it was the period of seven weeks following the Passover. The next day –
the fiftieth day – was Pentecost – and a time of celebration in the Jewish community!
Our Lord arose from the tomb on a Sunday. For forty days he appeared to his
disciples, ate with them, talked with them, taught them, all the while telling them he
couldn’t stay with them – that he had to ascend to the Father – but that he would not
leave them alone! He would, he said, send to them a Counselor who would be with
them forever, and would lead them into all truth – the Holy Spirit. After 40 days, he
did, indeed, leave them, again, this time, ascending to the Father.
But they had learned some things during those forty days. The first time Jesus left
them –hanging on the cross – they had no idea what to do; Disheartened and afraid,
deserted and confused, they hid while they got ready to run off, home – back to their
former lives! But then Jesus came to them – he had risen!
This time, being left by Jesus, again, they didn’t hide and they didn’t leave. Rather,
they did as Jesus had told them: they returned to Jerusalem, to the Upper Room,
where they spent their days and their nights in prayer – waiting.
And after ten days his promise proved good – the “comforter” the “counselor” he
had promised them finally came.
And what a scene that must have been. The description in the Book of Acts is really
quite remarkable, but exactly what happened was impossible to describe. There they
were, doing what they had been doing – praying, conversing, reading the scriptures
– and waiting – and then it happened: a sound “like the rush of a mighty wind,” and
over their heads, “tongues as of fire.”
And it was noisy! Disciples caught up in the spirit, praying and singing!
There were lots of people in town that day, for the feast of weeks – Jews from all
over the Diaspora, all over the Greek-speaking world. And when they heard the noise
coming from that upper room and from that small band of Galilean misfits, they came
to see what in the world was going on. And, the story tells us, each of the visitors, no
matter where they were from, heard the followers of Jesus speaking of the wondrous
works of God in his own tongue.
Quite a scene!
The language of the Book of Acts, unfortunately, is imprecise, the phenomenon
described, fantastic. If those who were there couldn’t find the words to talk about it,
how should we, so we’ll never really know what was going on, that day! A lot of claims
have been made for what is called “speaking in tongues,” through the ages, but there
‘s not a whole lot of hard data available, and we just really don’t know.
But one thing we can be certain did happen that day: the Church came into existence!
Pentecost has been called the birthday of the Church, and it really was that.
When Jesus walked the earth, the disciples were friends and followers; but once he
was gone they had to become something more than just friends – they had to take on
a new life; independent, creative, vigorous. They had to look inside themselves for
their continuing inspiration and, at the same time, they had to look outside
themselves for the work that lay before them. They had to take up, finally, the ministry
they had been called to and given by their Lord. They had a mission to perform, which
was to spread the Good News. And it was at the moment they took up that mission --
speaking, on the day of Pentecost, to people from all over the world, of the wonderful
works of God in Christ – that they became, finally, the Church.
The Church!
A couple of years ago I talked to you about the Birthday of the Church, and discussed
with you the origins of that odd little word, “Church.” You may recall I pointed out to
you the similarity between our English word, Church, it’s Scottish form, Kirk, and the
German: Kirche, and explained that they’re all related, originally, to one of just a few
Greek words you can find in the Book of Common Prayer: Kyrie! As in Kyrie Eleison!
That is: Lord. The actual derivation of “Church,” is from “Kyriakon – which means
“belonging to the Lord”! Originally, the word was used to describe Church buildings,
and only later – and slowly – did it become a word to describe the People of God! The
People of God – belonging to the Lord!
But the word Kyriakon isn’t found in the Bible, at all. The Biblical word that is usually
translated in English as Church, is another Greek word, Ekklesia.
Ekklesia was used in the same way in both the Old Testament and the New. It means,
in its commonest usage, “assembly,” and in Scripture it applies to those who
assemble in the Lord’s name –the congregation. In the Old Testament, it refers to the
assembly of the Israelites, and in the New Testament it refers to the assembly of
Christians.
But the original, literal sense carries a much, much deeper meaning. Ekklesia, in its
literal sense means “the called out”. So the Ekklesia are not just the assembled –
they are those who are called out from the rest.
So…, two words we translate as “Church,” Ekklesia and Kyriakon! Each with its own
meaning, its own nuance. Belonging to the Lord. The Called out.
Which makes us – you and me – people who have been called out to be the Lord’s!
Called out to be different. Called out to be unlike other people. Called out to be more
than other people: more than family members; more than neighbors; more than
workers; more than citizens. Called out to be members of God, God’s own.
What a privilege to be called out to represent God in God’s world! And what a
responsibility.
Called out to consider, always, God, first; to consider God’s will, first. Not to “follow
the leader” in society, but follow the leader of the universe: to see everything in
terms of God’s will, his desires for his people, for the world; his love for his people,
for the world!
Called out to try, at least, always, to form our thoughts, our desires our hopes in God’
s terms. Called out, always, to represent what our faith tells us is God’s will!
It is not easy to be God’s called out, not easy to belong to God. Not easy to keep
always in our minds the question: what would God will, in this case? For, “To each is
given the Manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” That is: for the good of
ALL God’s People –for the good of all people!
So… today we celebrate the birthday of the Church – the beginning of that Ekklesia –
that assembly of those who belong to the Lord.
And this is a good day to ask ourselves a pretty important question: when we come to
Church, are we coming to the Ekklesia, only? And if so, in which way? Do we come
just to be a part of the gathering? The congregation? Or do we come because we
have been “called out”?
Or do we come, as well, because we are the kyriakon? Do we come because we
belong to the Lord? And, a question for us all on this Feast of Pentecost: If we Are
the Lord’s people, if we Belong to the Lord and are called out and set apart, what
does that mean to the way we live our lives!!!?
If we are the Lord’s People – all of us, and each of us – our question must be, “How
does the Spirit manifest in OUR life – in MY life – for the good of all God’s children?
In His Name. Amen.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Calvary Episcopal Church, Rockdale |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| | | | | |